Empire State of Mind
by LaLopez1981
Summary: A year has passed since the events of New York. Tony decides to be a generous boss/boyfriend and sends Pepper on a long overdue vacation. The other Avengers are away on missions, doing research or rediscovering America, and someone unexpected shows up on Tony's doorstep...or rather on his remodeled balcony. *WARNING: Major Character Death*
1. Something Unexpected

Something Unexpected

"You have my phone number, my email, the number of the hotel, the address, the flight number, the time, the—"

"Pepper!" Tony Stark shouted, cutting off his girlfriend and assistant, Pepper Potts, as he watched her shut off her computer and arrange the knickknacks on her desk in just the right order. "I get it. I know all of it. And if I do forget it, Jarvis has all the information, too. I'm not an idiot, you know. Or a child; I'm an adult."

"I know that." Pepper slung her carry-on and purse over each arm. She reached for the handles of her two suitcases, but Tony beat her to it. "I just want to make sure I cover all bases here. Leaving you alone for a week is pretty risky."

Tony rolled his eyes behind her, following her to the elevator. "What exactly do you think I'm gonna do? It's not like I can throw a rager, like in the good old days. Not only do I have S.H.I.E.L.D. and Fury up my ass, but I'm sure you've already got Natasha set up to babysit me. Right?"

Pepper looked away guiltily, thanking the elevator god—or Jarvis, really—for opening the doors at that exact moment. Natasha was her only ally in the Avengers Tower, what with all the testosterone filling up the majority of the living quarters these days. "I tried," she admitted as Tony rolled in her suitcases and joined her. "She got sent on a mission so she won't be around this week either."

"Great," Tony drawled blandly. "That leaves Captain Virginity, right?" He cocked a brow at her and she laughed.

"No! Tony, no one will be around except for Bruce."

"No shit?" He smiled for the first time all day.

"Yes. Clint's on a mission, too; though not with Natasha. Steve is on his own vacation; he's hitting the south this time."

"The south…? What the hell is he doing in the south?"

She shook her head of strawberry blonde hair. "He's rediscovering America, Tony." He rolled his eyes and kept quiet on the subject. "That means you've got the tower to yourself. Unless, you're expecting Thor to drop down for any reason."

"Nah," he said with a shake of his head. The elevator doors slid opened to the garage and Happy was standing by with a car. "Thor hasn't been around in months. Since he and Jane split, he only comes when Fury sends for him." He rolled the suitcases to the trunk, helped Happy pack it, joking that it was amazing Pepper packed so light for a woman. Happy giggled, but when he caught Pepper's stern look he turned it into a cough and moved to the driver's side door. "Party pooper," Tony accused, slamming the trunk shut.

"Please behave yourself," Pepper pleaded, standing by the open passenger door, ignoring the way Tony fluttered his eyes and stuck out his tongue, like a child. "I want to enjoy my week. It's the first vacation I've had in over a year."

Tony let her take his hands, linking their fingers together and grinned. "I know. And you really deserve it. It's been…an eventful year," he finished with an amused smile. "Let me know when you get to the hotel." He reached up to place a kiss on her puckered lips then ushered her into the car. "Order room service, charge shit to the room, go get a massage; whatever you want. It's all covered." He leaned one arm on the roof of the car and smiled down at her.

"Don't forget that Bruce is around. And don't tease him too much. There's no one else to calm him down."

"Pep, stop. Go. Relax. I'll be fine. I'll just be in my lab the whole week anyway." He kissed the back of her hand and stepped back to close the door. He slapped a hand to the roof, signaling to Happy she was ready to go. "Have fun!"

Tony returned to his lab and spent the next who-knew-how-many hours tweaking his suit, checking Jarvis for any bugs, and spying on Bruce as he worked in his own lab on the third level of the Research and Development floors. Somewhere around the time he was testing one of the gauntlets from the Mark VII, flexing the metal fingers, he received the message that Pepper arrived in…wherever she went, safe and sound. He was bobbing his head to AC/DC when a dialogue box popped up on one of his numerous computer screens. It was Fury, so Tony tapped his finger to the ignore button and went back to work. He was just getting into his groove, work and music wise, when Jarvis interrupted.

"_Sir, Miss Potts asked me to remind you to eat dinner."_

Tony didn't lose the concentrated frown wrinkling his brow, as he responded, "Not hungry, J. Remind me around ten."

"_It _is_ ten o'clock, sir."_

"Oh, shit, really?" He lifted his wrist to double check. It was indeed ten o'clock. "I guess I can take a little break. Mute the music, Jarvis, and put on the coffee. I'm pulling an all-nighter." He headed up to the top floor, to his lounge, and headed straight for the bar. After pouring himself a half tumbler of scotch, he pulled a pack of dried blueberries from a stash behind the bar and had just popped one into his mouth when his phone beeped in his pocket.

He chuckled at the message from Pepper: "_Alcohol is not food, Tony. Try a sandwich once in a while, ok?_"

"Did you tell on me, Jarvis?" He punched in a quick response to his girl—"_U got it, hon ;)_"—and stuffed a handful of blueberries past his lips.

"_I would never do that to you, sir." _

"Yeah, yeah…" Tony walked around the bar and hopped up on the stool, glancing about the room. The remodel had taken a lot longer than he expected. But the lounge was finally looking like a comfortable, relaxing space again—as comfortable and relaxing as it could be with more than just him and Pepper treading all over the place.

Just over a year had passed since the attack on New York by Thor's maniacal baby brother, Loki, and his Chitauri army. A year since the balcony of his tower was destroyed and Bruce's Enormous Green Rage Monster decided to play slam dunk with the God of Mischief's face. A year since that crazy bastard threw him through his own damn window. A year since they _almost_ lost Phil Coulson. Whatever Tony's indifferent feelings toward the S.H.I.E.L.D. agent were before New York happened, he now considered Philsy—as he liked to call him—a good friend indeed.

Tony picked up the bag of berries and walked out onto the balcony, breathing in the warm summer air, admiring the lights of the city that never slept, and checking out the redesigned balcony. There was a new floor, new glass edging, a new landing and launching pad for his suit. It wasn't exactly as it was before, but it was nicely redone.

He had wandered from one side to the other and decided to get back to work. He paused and looked around the space of the balcony at what sounded boots on asphalt and someone breathing out a long breath. The hairs on the back of his neck went up and he murmured Jarvis' name, to put him on alert. He carried the bracelets to the Mark VII in his pockets at all times now and slowly, his eyes still scanning the shadows on the balcony, slipped one hand in his jeans pocket to retrieve the first one.

"That won't be necessary," an accented voice, one that Tony didn't immediately recognize, came from the shadows near the launch pad. "I'm not here to hurt you."

Tony's eyes strained, peering into the darkness, and he wished badly that he had his suit and his technology on him. Figuring it was the safest route, he played it like he knew who was standing on his balcony. "Then why are you hiding?"

"I didn't want to startle you."

He scoffed incredulously. "Like that's possible. Listen, Dark Shadows, this is a waste of my time. So either stop playing hide and seek or get the hell off my balcony." He glared hard at the area the voice was coming from and tensed his muscles when he heard movement and could just see the form of a tall man starting forward. He fought to keep his jaw from dropping to the floor and his eyes from going wide as the figure stepped into the light.

Unexpectedly, Tony laughed.

"What the fuck are _you_ doing here?"


	2. You Really Do Have A Bag of Cats Up Ther

You Really Do Have A Bag of Cats Up There

"What the fuck are _you_ doing here?"

Tony's stance shifted immediately; he planted his feet, and attached his bracelets to his wrists—the blueberry bag quickly abandoned, dropped and kicked aside—not caring if he sounded surprised now or not. If he wasn't seeing it with his own eyes he wouldn't have believed it was happening.

Loki Whatever-The-Fuck-son was actually standing on his balcony, looking no different than he had the last time he was standing there. He wore his usual getup of leather and metal, but the horns were nowhere in sight. He was still annoyingly tall and still deceptively thin, his cheekbones razor sharp under bright green eyes that always seemed so fearlessly focused on whoever he was looking at. He raised his hands, much like he had the first time Tony came into contact with the would-be ruler of Earth in Stuttgart, and paused a few feet away from him. When those pale red lips curved up minutely, Tony wanted nothing more than to close the distance between them and punch him in that perfectly straight nose.

"What do you want?"

Loki lowered his hands, clasping them behind his back and angled his head as he said, "How about that drink?"

Tony chuckled once then again. "Nice try, Reindeer Games. I'm not about to let you inside my tower. In fact, in a good five seconds I'm going to put in a call to S.H.I.E.L.D. and have them haul your ass back to the glass box and send word to Thor."

"Thor is quite aware of where I am; I assure you."

Tony looked up from the phone he had pulled out, eyeing the raven-haired god as he started to wander across the balcony. He shifted, following Loki, watching him with every slow step he took. "Thor knows you're here?"

"Hmm," Loki hummed and sent an amused look Tony's way. "Thor is aware I have traveled to Midgard; I'd prefer if he didn't know my _exact_ whereabouts, if you don't mind." He stopped again, that damn annoying smirk on his face.

Tony's blood was bubbling. "Why? Did you escape?"

"No, not exactly," he murmured, moving forward toward Tony now. "I could explain it to you…over a drink or two."

Tony clicked his phone off and slipped it back into his pocket, studying Loki. Fury would have his head if he found out Tony didn't sound the alarms the second he knew it was Loki on his balcony. Of course, Fury would have his head if he knew he had secretly and discreetly installed cameras at S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters. And for no other reason than he just wanted to know what Fury said about him when he wasn't around. They shared a mutual dislike, Tony discovered.

He was completely aware this was dangerous. Loki was as good with the lies as Tony himself was, but there was something about the god that put Tony on edge—a very indistinguishable edge. There were parts of him that found the Asgardian equally intriguing and repulsive. And though the conversations they had shared were brief, Loki's intelligent and clever way of speaking was a vast improvement over the conversations he had had with Point Break, Legolas, and the Capsicle. Plus, no one was around and this could be entertaining as hell.

"All right, I'll let you in and I'll give you that drink. Just know," he continued, causing Loki to halt his movement forward, "that I've improved the timing between activating these bracelets and getting the suit on me. So if you try to pull any shit on me, I'll have you down in two seconds flat. Got me?"

Loki brought his hands around in front of him, tapping his fingertips together. After a brief moment, he grinned and nodded.

"Also, along with that explanation of your 'not exactly an escape,'" he used his fingers for air quotes, and Loki grinned before catching himself, "You're going to tell me why you're _really_ here."

The god's chin rose along with a cocked brow. And it was Tony's turn to smirk.

"You could have gone anywhere on this planet, Loki. There's a reason you came back here." Tony reached behind him for the handle to the door, not risking the chance of turning his back to Loki, and motioned for Loki to enter. He could have been wrong, but Tony swore that was an impressed nod Loki gave him before he stepped into the lounge.

Tony headed behind the bar while Loki looked around, an almost haunted expression slacking his features.

"What'll you have?"

Loki jolted around like Tony had just spooked him. He covered it quickly and moved to one of the bar stools. "What is the strongest liquor you have?"

Tony almost choked on the whiskey he was drinking and laughed. "I don't think you can handle it. I can barely manage a sip or two of it myself."

Challenge lit those emerald orbs. "Try me."

They watched each other for a moment, before Tony relented and grabbed a clean glass from under the bar. He moved down to the end of it, still not turning his back on Loki, and reached for the tall bottle on the top shelf behind his collection of vodkas. "All right," he said, pouring barely an inch of the clear liquid into the glass. "Go for it."

Loki's fingers wrapped and he lifted the glass to sniff at it, moving his hand to swirl the liquid around before knocking back the whole things in one gulp. "Ooh…" he breathed out. He clenched his teeth and slammed the glass down to the bar top. "Aaah…."

Sipping at his scotch, Tony waited for him to either pass out or throw up. He was greatly disappointed when Loki's clear green eyes flicked up to him and he held out the glass for more. "…Are you serious?"

"I will admit it was stronger than I expected, but your Midgardian alcohol is no match for the stuff Thor used to force down my throat. If you please?" he added politely holding up the glass. Shaking his head, Tony filled the glass up halfway.

"So…start explaining yourself. How did you manage to talk your way to a vacation on Midgard?"

Loki's demeanor went from genial to formal instantly. "This is not a vacation."

Tony waited for more, but Loki wasn't giving it freely. "Then what is it? I figured they'd have you locked up in chains still. I don't know how quickly or slowly time passes up there, but down here it's only been about fourteen months since you wrecked the place."

Loki's eyes shot up to his.

"And we're _still_ kissing the city's ass and making amends to the people whose shit got fucked up beyond repair and the families who lost their relatives."

"I have paid for my crimes, Mr. Stark." His eyes lowered to his glass and he brought it to his lips. "And I've not yet finished paying that which I owe…"

Tony frowned a little at the god sitting before him. He was a much different Loki than he remembered. He was as overconfident as ever, but there was a lingering melancholy about him that made the engineer extremely curious. "You're saying that this little field trip is part of your…what, sentence or punishment?"

Again, in a flash, Loki's manner did a one-eighty and he smiled up at Tony. "Do you have any spare beds?"

Tony went still for a moment before shaking his head. "What?"

"You are correct; there is a reason I came to Stark Tower—er, Avengers Tower. I have business to attend to and I will need accommodations for one week." Tony laughed. "The only thing I require of you is that you don't question me about my agenda or where I plan to go or what I plan to do. Do we have an agreement?"

Tony snickered, holding up a hand and waving it, as if to cut Loki off. "Wait, wait a minute. Let me get this straight: you want me to give you a room in _my_ tower and let you run around the city doing whatever the fuck you want and _not_ ask you any questions about it _or_ stop you?"

Loki's eyes moved to the side before focusing on Tony and nodding once. "Yes."

"You really do have a bag full of cats up there, don't you?" He frowned, tilted his head. "I can't do that!" Tony shouted by way of explanation. "I shouldn't even be sitting here talking to you. I should've called S.H.I.E.L.D. the second I knew it was you. I should have had Jarvis trip the silent alarm!" He started around the bar, walking away from it and Loki.

"Stark…"

"You shouldn't have come here, Loki." Tony spun around. "This isn't a sanctuary for the criminally insane." He thought about Clint and Natasha…and himself. "…Mostly. You can't just show up here and think everything is forgiven and—"

"I can make you a deal."

Tony drew up short at the interruption. Once again, common sense was telling him he shouldn't even listen, shouldn't even consider the deal. But if Tony only relied on common sense he wouldn't be one of the richest men in the world. "What deal?"

Loki rose from the stool and slowly stepped to him. "Allow me to reside here for the week…and I will never bother you or the others again."

Tony's face relaxed and he brought a hand up to stroke his goatee. It sounded too good to be true—which meant it probably was. "How do I know I can trust you?"

"You can't," Loki answered simply. "Just as I cannot trust that you _won't_ contact your agency or your Director Fury and turn me over to them. But I can set your mind at ease on one point."

"What's that?"

"You need not worry about any impending chaos or destruction. My magic is…very limited right now. And courting chaos is the farthest thing from my mind at the moment, to be honest."

Tony's eyes shot down to Loki's hands, hanging by his sides. "So you're not going to conjure up your glow stick of destiny and try to put me under your magic spell or anything?"

Loki fought a smile. "No. My scepter has been…" he looked away annoyed, and sighed, "Confiscated. It's hidden somewhere on Asgard by the Allfather's magic. It would drain my own magic if I tried to search for it. And if I recall correctly, that didn't work the first time."

"Yeah," Tony agreed with a laugh. "I know. I just wanted to remind you of it."

Loki aimed a hard look at Tony, which only served to tickle him more. He went over the idea of having a god living in the tower for a week. He would have to keep him on the top floor; he couldn't have him near his lab or running into Bruce in the middle of the night. The tower wouldn't survive another Hulk Smash. Tony figured if Thor was trusting enough to let Loki come here alone, the least he could do was house the guy and keep an eye on him for his teammate. Right?

"Okay, I'll let you stay. But if there is one incident, one misuse of your _limited_ magic, I will turn you over to Fury so fast your head will spin. And I won't feel bad about it one little bit."

"I'm sure you wouldn't," Loki murmured.

Tony jerked his head toward the hall. "Bedrooms are that way. Take your pick—except for the big one, of course. Bathroom's down there, too. Extra towels are in the closet in there, so help yourself."

Loki moved around him and had taken a few steps before he paused and looked back at Tony, who was watching him intently. "I very much appreciate this, Stark. You don't know how much you're helping me. Thank you."

Tony only nodded—hesitantly. He didn't move even after he heard a door close. After a moment, he went back to the bar and rinsed out the glasses. He told Jarvis to shut down the lab and asked him to alert him if Bruce made his way to the top floor. And to keep a close watch on the god a few doors down from his bedroom. He headed to his own bed, listening at the door to the room Loki chose for any sounds, but heard nothing. He shook his head to himself as he prepared for bed, questioning his sanity, his loyalty to his team.

And wondering what the hell Pepper would do if she ever found out.


	3. Just A Couple of Blonds Walking Around

Just A Couple of Blonds Walking Around

Tony hated mornings. That's why he normally skipped them. But with a potentially dangerous god in residence—despite Loki's claims that he was no longer a threat—Tony wasn't taking any chances. He had Jarvis watch him closely through the night and told him to wake him the second Loki was up.

At _eight oh-fucking-clock_ in the morning.

Groggy and irritable, Tony shuffled out of his room in search of badly needed caffeine. He carried his treasured mug of heavily sugared black coffee, already brewed thanks to Jarvis, to the lounge and dropped himself onto the black sofa. "Jarv, CNN."

The widescreen plasma television hanging above the fireplace switched on to the desired channel so Tony could watch the morning coverage of the stock market. His sipped at the coffee, savoring the line of heat that traveled down his throat to his empty belly, and watched the numbers fly by the bottom of the TV screen. After about ten minutes of no sign of Loki, Tony asked Jarvis where he was.

"_He is on the balcony, sir."_

Tony sat up and looked out the floor-to-ceiling windows and spotted the tall, dark figure heading back toward the lounge. "How the hell did he get out there without me noticing?"

"_Teleportation it seems, sir."_

"Pfft. Limited magic, my ass," he muttered, settling back on the sofa. He heard the door open and Loki step in, but no words were exchanged. Moments later, Loki returned to the lounge and sat in a chair adjacent to Tony holding a steaming cup of what Tony assumed was coffee. He didn't move but to follow the god with his eyes.

"Morning, Stark."

"Uh-huh."

Loki smirked and sipped from the mug. "I take it you are not a morning person?"

Tony sighed and set his bare feet on the table in front of him. "Let me put it this way: the last time I was up voluntarily before ten am I was living in a dorm. In college," he clarified at Loki's blank look.

He chuckled and sat back in the chair, crossing one mile-long leg over the other and resting both hands on the arms, one still holding the coffee. It annoyed Tony that even sitting in a goddamned love seat, Loki looked like the former prince of Asgard he had once been.

"What were you doing on the balcony?"

Loki didn't look at him, only pressed his lips together. "I thought we agreed no questions."

"Yeah…we did." Tony finished off his coffee and sat up to set the empty mug on the table before stretching out on the sofa, keeping his head in a position that he could still keep an eye on Loki. "Any plans for the day?"

Loki shot him a look and he raised a hand in surrender.

"I wasn't going to ask any specifics. Just a general vicinity works for me. You know, in case I see something on the news. I can play dumb when Fury calls me in to fight you."

Loki uncrossed his legs and set down his mug. "Perhaps you could be of service to me today."

"What?" Tony dropped his chin.

He shrugged nonchalantly. "I'm afraid I'm not very familiar with the area. I flew _over_ the city but I didn't stop for directions, you understand."

Tony chuckled and swung his feet down to the floor, and swiveled his body toward Loki's. "You want me to be your tour guide?"

He shrugged his shoulders again and sat back again. "It would keep you from concerning yourself about my activities, would it not? And this way I would not lose my way."

Tony made a face and nearly whined, "Where do you want to go?"

"Nowhere in particular. I would like to see some parks and maybe a harbor or pier at some point, if it's not too much trouble."

Tony scrubbed a hand over his face and scoffed incredulously. "I thought you were here on business. You're acting like a tourist. You want me to take you to some fucking historical sites, too? Ellis Island, Ground Zero? I mean what the hell?"

Loki's face was blank and he didn't appear to be bothered by Tony's criticism, nor understand what was historical about those places. "I've concluded my business for today, if you must know. You needn't take me up on the offer, if you do not wish to be in my company. I merely thought—"

"When did you hear me say no?"

Loki froze with his mouth half open. He sighed almost irritably. "I assumed by your protestations that you were not—"

"Don't assume anything about me, and we'll be cool, okay?" By the way the god glared at him, Tony could see the interruptions were getting to him. "There's just one little problem, Rock of Ages."

His eyes flashed briefly. Tony wanted to laugh; patience was definitely not this god's virtue. "What problem?"

"I'm famous. You're _infamous_. The minute I step out that door, people are gonna recognize me. And I'm sure someone somewhere will eventually recognize you. Pictures will be taken and sent everywhere—TMZ, twitter, Instagram, Facebook, maybe even YouTube—you name it; we'll be all over it. And then my ass is grass 'cause you know Fury monitors all that shit."

Throughout Tony's explanation, Loki's grin grew and he looked more amused by the second. "That doesn't have to be a problem."

"Oh, yeah, why not?"

He cocked his head. "Are you agreeing to go with me?"

Tony's eyes rolled and he groaned. He wasn't used to people not directly answering questions or answering his questions with more questions. People were usually kissing his ass to please him. It was going to be a long week. "If you can tell me how I won't get busted by Fury, I will gladly be your tour guide."

* * *

"Are you sure no one can tell it's me?" Tony asked again.

"Absolutely positive," Loki answered distractedly, watching the huge buildings the Midgardians called skyscrapers fly past his window.

Tony frowned a little at Loki's distraction and looked away, catching his own reflection in the cab driver's rearview mirror and once again, scrutinized the new form Loki had magicked for him. His hair was a golden blond, his eyes a powder blue, and the perfectly groomed goatee he had been perfecting for years was gone. He glanced over at the man sitting next to him and wondered, silently, why he had to make them both blonds with blue eyes. At least he had cool slicked back hair, like a Ken doll, and not the wild crazy curls Loki was currently sporting.

So far, Tony had taken Loki to Times Square and Broadway. There were more than a few moments he had to remind himself that he was babysitting a god, not showing an out-of-town buddy the city. Loki didn't help matters by getting so excited and smiling like a little kid on Christmas morning. The fact that he didn't _look_ like Loki made it difficult as well.

"It is amazing what you mortals can do with a little imagination."

Tony looked the cab driver's way and twirled a finger by the side of his head when he caught the swarthy man's confused gaze, insinuating Loki was crazy. He smacked a hand to the god's arm and glared at him.

"What?"

Tony leaned closer and whispered harshly, "You can't say stuff like out loud, dude. _You're_ a mortal—at least you're supposed to be one. In fact, stop referring to people as mortals. It makes you sound like a lost relic from Ancient Rome."

"Ah." Loki nodded and returned to gazing out his window again. Tony did the same, recognized the area and instructed the driver to stop. He paid the man and stepped out, joining Loki on the sidewalk. "Where are we?"

"We are killing two birds with one stone. We're in a park and…" He took the blond god by the shoulders and turned him around. "It faces a harbor. Knock yourself out." Tony pulled out his phone and yet another buzz and ignored the email without even bothering to see who it was from. When he returned his attention to his travel partner, he cocked a brow. Loki hadn't moved and his eyes were roaming around, widened in awe, like he had just discovered the heavens. "Hey, man…you okay?"

Loki turned to glance at him and nodded, seemingly coming back to his senses. "It's a, uh…breathtaking sight."

Tony bit back a laugh and aimed a finger to his right. "You hungry?" Loki just made a noncommittal noise. "Well, I'm starving. Come on, there's a hot dog guy over here." He started off, not waiting for Loki to catch up.

"What is a hot dog?" Loki called from behind him. Tony bought himself a chili dog and one for Loki with a little bit of everything. They found an empty bench overlooking New York Harbor and Loki practically inhaled the food. Then asked for another one. Tony gave him a few dollars and continued munching on his, sipping from his Coke between bites.

"So let me ask you something…" Tony started after tossing the papers of his late lunch away. "What kind of business does an Asgardian god got going on down here with us lowly mortals?"

Loki swallowed the last of his hot dog and shook his head. "You're asking questions again, Stark."

"Oh, come on. I'm just curious. I mean besides us…" he glanced around to make sure no one was in hearing distance and leaned in briefly to quietly say, "Besides us Avengers, who else could you possibly know down here?"

"No one you need concern yourself with." Loki had turned his head sharply. Tony one lifted a brow. "My business will not affect you in any way whatsoever. Therefore, it is not vital for you to be privy to my private affairs."

"All right, calm down," Tony muttered, turning his gaze back to the water. "Jesus, you're testy." He looked up as Loki pushed to his feet. "Where are you going?"

"I wish to return to the tower."

"Are you sure?" Tony asked getting to his feet as well. "There's more stuff to see, you know…I could take you to—"

"You've shown me enough. I would like to go back."

Tony's lips parted to give an agreement but Loki had turned away from him already, walking to the edge of the sidewalk, and waiting. Clearly, he had upset the Asgardian, but Tony would be damned if he would apologize for it. He hailed a cab and the ride back to Manhattan was silent and only mildly tense.

Once at the tower, they went back to their original forms and their separate ways; Tony to his lab, Loki closed himself away in his bedroom. Tony had only been in the lab a couple of hours when he finally gave up. Something was gnawing at him, at the back of his mind, distracting him, so he decided to go up to his bar and make a night of drinking himself to an unconscious contentment.

The elevator doors opened and Tony hesitated only a little before stepping off. Loki was there, curled up on the sofa. He was bent over something, and as Tony made his way to the bar, he could see that he was writing in a book.

Tony settled himself on a stool with the three things in his life that made him the happiest: a bottle of Jack, a clean glass, and a Starkpad. He brought the tablet to life, flicking lazily through different schematics of his suits, but his gaze was drawn to the man sitting by his fireplace, still scribbling away. He brought the glass to his lips, his eyes still on Loki, and sipped.

"Would you like me to sit for a portrait?"

Tony choked a little and set down his glass. "Uh…what?" he asked feigned geniality.

Loki lifted his head, setting dark green eyes on him. "You were studying me so intently I thought perhaps you would like a keepsake."

It took a beat, but Tony chuckled. "Down here we just say, 'Why don't you take a picture? It lasts longer.'" Loki's brows went up. "Maybe later," he mumbled, only slightly embarrassed at being caught. He refilled his glass and carried it with the Starkpad to join Loki in the lounge. "I was just…wondering what you were doing?"

Loki glanced down to his lap, tucked the pen between the current pages and closed the leather-bound book in his hands. With a swipe of his hands, the book disappeared. Tony only frowned and lifted his eyes, too used to the abnormal and mythological at this point to be shocked. "It's nothing. Just a…journal. Of sorts," he added with a tilt of his head.

"Yeah?" Tony gulped down some whiskey. "What do you write about?"

Loki grinned, gave a shake of his head. "You don't know how to _not_ ask questions, do you?"

"I'm a scientist, Loki." Tony smiled unapologetically and stretched his arms on the back of his seat. "It's kind of what I do."

Loki straightened his legs from their folded position, sitting rigidly straight at the end of the soda. "Then let's get it out of your system." Tony raised a brow. "Ask me what you want to know. I will not tell you any more of why I am here. But if you're curious about any other aspects of my life…ask me."

"You're the god of lies," he pointed out.

Loki lifted his shoulders. "Not for the next few minutes."

Tony hesitated for only a second before setting his glass on the table and leaning eagerly forward, his elbows resting on his knees. "Okay. Let's do this. Tell me about the horse."

Loki's face darkened. Quietly and precisely, and with little to no emotion, Tony noted, Loki recounted the story of his son Sleipnir's conception and birth. Tony asked about his other children, his famous pranks like cutting Sif's hair, and other stories he had read about. He wasn't too surprised to hear that a lot of what he had read was exaggerated and embellished to feed into Loki's reputation as a trickster and mischief maker. He could certainly relate with how the tabloids like to blow his shenanigans out of proportion.

"So…can you get pregnant in _any_ form?"

Loki snickered. "Have we not covered this subject, Stark?"

"No, we talked about your kids. We didn't talk about _you_ and _your_ role."

Loki looked down to his hands, folded neatly in his lap. "Yes," he said softly. "I can conceive in any form."

"And how come none of your kids are Jotün or Frost Giants or whatev—?" Tony froze at the look aimed his way and could have sworn the temperature in the room instantly dropped about twenty degrees. "…What…was it something I said?"

Tight-lipped and one green eye practically twitching, Loki stood and started out of the room. And Tony jumped up after him.

"Loki, I—" He whipped around so fast Tony had to jump back and held up his hands. "Relax," he said quickly. "I didn't think you would—I-I mean I knew you had some issues with your—wait! No! Thor told me!" He skittered back when Loki took one menacing step forward.

He rolled his eyes and clenched his jaw, inhaling deeply as if to calm himself down. "I assumed so. Damn him," he murmured. He scoffed in disgust and turned away again.

"For what it's worth," Tony threw out the words, halting Loki's retreat again. "I'm not sure why you hate it so much." Loki's head turned to the side but he didn't fully face Tony just yet. "I've seen pictures. You look pretty bad ass—as in cool, like…I wouldn't want to run into you…in a dark alley…on a planet full of ice…but it's almost…celestial."

Loki slowly rotated around, a pained look on his face. Tony couldn't tell if he was completely horrified or trying not to feel flattered. And he would never find out. With that incredulous expression still on his face, Loki quietly stormed out of the room.

* * *

That night, Tony dreamt. He dreamt of a man—at least, he thought it was a man. His features were masculine and feminine all at the same time. His body was long and lean, and though he had nicely shaped hips like a woman, he had the chest and torso of a broad-shouldered man, and was covered only by a scrap of loincloth. His hair was long, ebony and flowed down his back and over his shoulders.

Tony was oddly fascinated by him. He reached out a hand, wanting to touch, to feel. His skin wasn't soft, but it wasn't rough either—just firm, with various ridges rising from areas of his arms, chest and face. And it was cold; ice cold. In his dream, Tony gasped at the realization that the man standing before him was Loki, in his Jotün form—that is, what his subconscious pictured his Jotün form to be based on those pictures he had seen in the research Jarvis had done for him. Jotün Loki reached out for him, too—but he didn't touch or feel. He pushed.

And Tony flailed as he was suddenly falling into a dark abyss.

Tony shot up in his bed, breathing heavy, clutching at his chest, a palm laying over the arc reactor. He groaned, as his body awoke and his mind cleared, at the raging hard-on currently throbbing between his legs. He pressed a hand to his forehead, wiping the beads of sweat that had formed on his brow. It took a second or twenty for him to calm himself. Once he had and was just starting to relax, he felt a shiver run through his body—and paused.

It was July.

Why the hell did he feel cold?

He lifted his head, glancing about the room, specifically in the darkest shadows of the large space. There was a wide chair he kept in the corner of his bedroom, used mostly as a clothes collector, but occasionally he would sit there and work on a Starkpad if he didn't feel like walking down to the lab. He strained his eyes, trying to see if that was the figure of a person sitting in it. Or maybe it was his imagination going wild.

He whispered for Jarvis to turn on the lights, but when the illumination flooded his bedroom, he discovered that he was the only one in the room.


	4. God of Pain in My Ass

God of Pain in My Ass

Tony never went back to sleep. He tossed and turned for a couple of hours before giving up and taking a cold shower. Once he was dressed again, in jeans and a Van Halen tee, he headed down to his lab to lose himself amongst his machines, greeting them with a cheeky, "Daddy's home," as he entered the large room and Jarvis brought the machines to life.

He wove his way around his work tables to sit at the semi-circle desk that held three of the main computer monitors. "Jarvis, pull up the feed from my room, starting at…uhhh…about two am." He picked up a ratchet sitting next to one of the keyboards—and where the hell did _that_ come from?—and began toying with it, as the screen popped up showing the feed from his bedroom.

He twirled the tool between his fingers softly ordering Jarvis to forward through the video. He shot up straight when the screen flicked to squiggly lines and snow and had Jarvis rewind it. His eyes darted to the corner of the screen showing the time, and stared at it as he had Jarvis rewind and play it four more times.

"Jarvis. Is that a glitch? What happened in those two minutes?"

"_It is possible, sir. I can't seem to find any problems."_

"Loop it," Tony muttered as he sat back, his thumb between his teeth, studying the repeated feed. "Show me the feed from the hall at the same time."

On a second monitor, a screen popped up, a picture of the hallway and the doors to the bedrooms as it panned from one side to the other. Shown side by side, all Tony could see was that Loki never left his room.

"J, you're still keeping an eye on that room, right?"

"_Not literally, but, yes, I am, sir."_

Tony rolled his eyes at the A.I. _Fucking smart ass_. "Could you tell if he left the room at all?"

A short beat of silence passed. "_No, sir, he did not. Heat and movement readings show he had been sleeping for quite some time when the malfunction in your feed occurred_."

Tony let out a drawn-out sigh. Whatever it was, it must have been a freak accident. That he happened to be dreaming of a blue Loki…mere coincidence. "Fine, thanks, J. Let me know when he's up." Jarvis agreed and Tony got to his feet. Touching his fingers of both hands to the two computer screens, he closed his fingers, effectively crumpling up the screenshots and shot the holographic balls over his shoulders into a holographic trash can that Jarvis had waiting for him.

He went to work on the leg pieces of the suit today, losing himself for a couple of hours. He was concentrating unusually hard, dreading the moment Loki woke up. He chalked up the whole dream to their conversation earlier that night. That's it. There was absolutely no guilt he was feeling whatsoever for upsetting him—again. As for the arousal he woke up to... Well, it's not like _that's_ never happened before.

When he finally got the alert that Loki was up and moving around, Tony still stayed in his lab. He went back and forth on what he should do. Stay in the lab all day and just keep watch on the god through Jarvis for the rest of the time he remained in the tower? Or suck it up and apologize because he actually, freakishly, enjoyed hanging around the crazy son of a bitch?

And he had a good idea about where to take him today.

Shutting everything down again, Tony headed up the elevator. He didn't ask for Loki's whereabouts, counting on a "chance" run-in instead. It worked. Loki was sitting at the small table in the kitchen sipping from a mug when Tony walked in. He lifted his eyes, looked at Tony for a few long seconds then dropped his gaze back to the table.

Making an annoyed face, Tony continued in to pour himself a cup of coffee and chose to lean against the counter the coffeemaker rested on as he drank it. He wondered idly how he should open the conversation, maybe start with a joke, or just start talking. Loki made the choice for him when he stood to leave.

"Oh—uh—wait."

Loki paused and glanced his way. He cocked a brow. "…Yes?"

"About last night…"

Loki's eyes lifted to the ceiling and he sighed shortly. "Drop it, Stark. I realize you cannot help your inquisitive nature any more than I can help my short temper. It's forgotten."

"Okay, well, let me make it up to you." Tony pushed off the counter setting his mug on the table and leaning on it. Loki lifted his chin. "Do you have any plans today?"

Loki frowned, eyeing Tony in a very distrusting way. "No… Why?"

Tony grinned. "Glamour yourself up. I'm taking you to the Bronx."

* * *

Loki was a bouncing ball of excitement. His lips were moving a mile a minute asking Tony question after question about the complexities of baseball, the basic rules, equipment, and geography of it. And he couldn't sit still, jumping to his feet every time the bat hit the ball—no matter which team it was.

Tony called up a friend and booked them a luxury suite at Yankee Stadium, thinking a little Midgardian sport would entertain Loki for a couple of hours. He had no idea the god would get so into it. Tony, not in an alternate form today, as it would defeat the purpose of booking the suite under his name, was already on his fourth martini. And they hadn't even reached the seventh inning stretch yet.

"What is it called again when they reach two of the white bags after hitting the ball?"

Tony pounded a fist to his forehead repeatedly. "A double, Loki. It's called a double."

Loki giggled—fucking _giggled_—and slapped a hand to Tony's leg. "Come now, Stark, watch the game with me. How can you not get excited by all of this? The crack of the bat as it hits the ball. The way it soars over them all, flying to an unknown destination. It is much more exciting than the brainless competitions that pass for sport on Asgard."

Tony dropped his chin to his chest and aimed a look at Loki's profile that read _Are you fucking kidding me right now?_ "It's just a sport, man. A recreational pastime; not a philosophy class."

"Oh, I don't know." Loki popped another peanut in his mouth, his form's blue eyes dancing. "I imagine you could find a philosophical element to the game, as with any sort of discipline that needs to be honed."

Tony's lips parted to question Loki further about it, but his attention was turned away when the Red Sox player at bat shot a hit straight up center field and out of the park. Loki was on his feet again, clapping with the scattering of Boston fans in the crowd.

"Did you see that?!" he asked, twisting his head around to look at Tony so quickly that his blond curls bounced. Tony couldn't help but smile and clap along, too.

After the game finally ended, stretching a couple of innings into overtime, Tony suggested they go out for an early dinner. Loki gave him a weird smirk, agreed, and they headed off to Balthazar. Tony had a nice laugh at the way Loki's eyes bugged out at the menu. He took a good ten minutes before he finally decided on the Lobster Risotto and Tony ordered his usual Steak au Poivre.

As they waited, a sommelier came to their table to offer them drinks. Tony passed on the wine and ordered his usual whiskey.

"And…for _you_?" The sommelier turned toward Loki with a flirtatious grin.

Tony peeked up at the blond-haired man, stifling a snicker. Loki aimed an impatient look at him then sent a dazzling smile to the wine steward and ordered a house wine. The man lingered a little and finally left the table.

"Je-sus…" Tony muttered once they were alone. "How embarrassing for him."

Loki chuckled and shifted in his chair to cross his legs under the table, settling his cloth napkin over his lap. "Is that jealousy I detect, Stark?"

Tony let out a high-pitched 'ha!' "Jealous of what? A waiter not making eyes at me? Not really a big loss for me, sweetheart."

Loki's grin never wavered. "I was not inferring you were jealous of the attention coming to me and not you."

"Then what…?" Tony broke out in more laughter. "You think I was jealous because some random guy was hitting on you in front of me? Why? This ain't no date. Just two dudes having a meal together." The sommelier returned with their drinks, and another suggestive look for Loki, and Tony had to roll his eyes at the smug look on Loki's face.

Once their meals arrived, the conversation veered toward the food. Tony questioned Loki about what passed for a meal on Asgard and he noticed it was the first time in the entire time Loki had been with him that the god had fully relaxed and genuinely laughed and smiled. It was a shame, Tony thought, the circumstances in which they met. If Loki was a regular guy he'd met in a regular way—not threatening a crowd of Germans in a horned helmet—they may actually have been friends.

Tony poked his way through half of his meal, marveling at how the slim-figured man he was with practically inhaled his dinner, the rest of Tony's, and dessert. Apparently, the Asgardian metabolism was far more advanced than the one of the Midgardian. Tony stood, signaling to Loki that he was ready to leave, and flagged down a waiter. He tucked a twenty dollar bill into his jacket pocket and asked him to be a good boy and hail them a cab.

He turned back to call to Loki and caught the sommelier pushing a small piece of paper into the god's hand then touching a fingertip to his chin. He snickered out loud this time and started for the front entrance. When Loki finally caught up with him, Tony couldn't stop laughing.

"What is it you find so amusing?"

"You and your little boyfriend. Sure you don't want to bring him back to the tower for a little nightcap?" He winked at Loki's bland look at pushed open the door.

And was blinded. Flashes immediately went off, one right after another and another. Tony, used to this kind of bombardment, gave himself a second to let his eyes adjust to the flashing. His name was being shouted over and over, and he took one step before remembering Loki.

The group of paparazzi crowded him as he turned back and reached out for Loki's arm. Loki was shoved or pulled back and Tony's hand slid down his arm, catching around his fingers, and yanked hard. Loki stumbled forward, crashing into Tony as his arm went around him, and Tony aimed for the cab that was just pulling up to the curb. Voices kept shouting for him, and he ignored it, until one of those voices asked about the "mysterious lady" with him.

He'd gotten the cab door open and craned his neck, searching for the photographer who had asked the question, to ask his own. He had half the words out when his face was roughly grabbed and someone's mouth was on his. More flashes went off and he squeezed his eyes closed but his vision was already compromised. Before he could even get his brain working again, he was pulled into the cab and they were speeding away from the nosy cameras.

* * *

"What the _fuck_ was that?!"

Loki's breath was coming in pants from all the excitement and his uncontrollable laughing, and instead of answering Tony, he told the driver where to take them. Tony shoved at him and he laughed even more. He held out a hand to him and tried to catch his breath. "Stop! I will tell you when we return to the tower."

"Tell me now!" Loki angled his head and pointed at the driver. Tony scoffed, and shaking his head, agreed to wait. Once back at the tower he turned to Loki in the elevator, arms crossed, face serious. "What the hell did you do?"

Loki chuckled again. "When you suggested dinner, I…took it upon myself to change forms."

"To a woman?"

He grinned and nodded. "A very attractive one, at that, as you could tell."

"Why couldn't I see you as a woman?"

"Because I didn't let you," he answered as if it were obvious. Tony huffed and asked why he would do that, as he stepped off into the lounge. As usual, he headed straight to the bar and Loki followed, settling himself on a bar stool and still sniggering softly. "Why do you think?"

Tony set two glasses and a bottle of Irish whiskey on the bar top and glared at Loki, only half irritated with the immortal. "Why?"

Loki smirked and gave a sweep of his hand. "God of mischief."

He rolled his eyes and pulled the cork from the tall green bottle of Jameson. "God of pain in my ass, more like," he muttered, filling each glass with an inch of the amber liquid. He pushed one of the glasses toward Loki and swallowed his down in one gulp, then added more.

"You don't seem all that upset about it," Loki quietly pointed out, tapping his fingers lightly against the glass.

"It was harmless," he responded with a careless shrug.

He lifted his glass to his lips, still tapping one long pale finger on the glass. When he spoke again, his voice echoed into the glass. "You also don't appear to be bothered by the fact that, despite my outer appearance, you have just shared a kiss with another man."

Tony paused mid-drink and swept his eyes up to Loki's. He swallowed and dipped his head, chuckling lightly. "This isn't my first rodeo, Loki." The god lowered his glass and cocked an inquisitive brow. Tony laughed again and put his glass down, as well. "I've been around the block a few times, okay? I'm comfortable enough with myself and my sexuality not to be threatened by someone of the same sex being attracted to me."

Loki rolled his eyes, with a smile.

"Besides…" he drank again and Loki's gaze returned to him. "I did my fair share of experimenting in college." He added a few more drops to his glass before pushing the cork back into the Jameson bottle and set it back on the shelf behind him. "So, next time, all you have to do is ask if you want to kiss me, Reindeer Games."

Loki, leaning a little on the bar, shot up straight, and Tony grinned at the very apparent surprised look on his face. "Are you not in a relationship with the redhead?"

Tony waved a hand and took another sip. "Technically, yes, but Pepper and I have a…I care about her—_a lot_—but she knows I'm not so great with commitment and monogamy." He motioned with his glass as he spoke and brought it back to his lips. "We have an understanding—of sorts," he added before tilting his head back.

"Is that a formal invitation?"

Tony choked on the whiskey when he laughed and had to turn around to the sink to spit out what he was too busy choking to swallow. He sucked in air and continued to laugh. "That's funny! Man…Fury would probably have me flogged in public. He'd probably even do it himself if that happened. Hell, he'd probably do it if he found out about this conversation."

Loki had a small smile playing around his lips as he finished off his drink and stood up from the stool.

"Ditching out on me already? What's the matter? Can't handle the big boy talk?"

Loki stopped and looked back at Tony over his shoulder, the small smile still curving his lips. "Quite the contrary, Stark. I was enjoying the conversation. However, it has been a long day, I've imbibed quite a bit of alcohol, and I need my rest." He started out of the room again but stopped once more after a few steps. "About that flogging…"

Tony's brows drew together. "Huh?"

"If it's something you're truly interested in, I could assist. Privately, of course."

Heat washed over Tony, had his fingers tightening around the glass in his hand. "Uh…"

"And just to make it clear…if the invitation is on the table, I would accept." Loki turned and sauntered out of the room, leaving Tony staring open-mouthed at his back.

* * *

Tony had trouble sleeping again that night. He tossed and turned in bed for almost two hours before rising and taking a quick, hot shower, hoping to relax his body enough so he could get a couple of hours in. But it didn't work. He crept out to the kitchen and brewed himself a cup of tea, taking it out to the balcony outside his bedroom, and listening to the sounds of the night as he sipped it down.

When he resorted to walking back and forth around the room, he had to tell himself that it was just his normal insomnia, his brain unwilling to shut off again. It had absolutely nothing to do with his want to barge into the bedroom down the hall and take Loki up on that offer; just to see what that tall drink of water could do with those long-fingered hands and fast-moving mouth.

Tony froze in the middle of his room and slapped a hand to his face. _What the fuck, Tony?_

When did _this_ happen? When did he start seeing Loki in _that_ way? He had told Loki the truth; Tony Stark was no stranger to the touch of another man. He just hadn't been touched by one in over twenty years. So why now? Why _Loki_?

He couldn't deny the god was attractive—but he was also bat-shit crazy. Tony wondered, as he lowered to the foot of his bed, if he had had thoughts like this about Loki before and just didn't recognize or acknowledge them. Wouldn't have been the first time he ignored his feelings toward someone else. How long had he been friends with Pepper before realizing there was more than just friendship there?

_Shit_. Pepper. Pepper could forgive a lot of things. But would she forgive him this?

Tony didn't get a chance to answer that. A soft knock at his door interrupted his thoughts and he called for Loki to come in—because, really, who else could it be? Tony stared as the sight in the doorway had desire coursing through him.

Loki had pushed the door open and remained in the doorway, leaning against the doorjamb, wearing only a pair of loose-fitting black pants, barefoot and bare-chested, his hair loose and mussed from sleep, and framed by the light of the hallway.

"Do you think you'll be done pacing any time soon?" he asked facetiously, rubbing a fist over one eye before pushing his hair back from his face. "I would like to get some sleep eventually."

His breath growing shallower by the second, Tony got to his feet and moved to the doorway, his brown eyes locked on Loki's. Once he was close enough, Loki straightened and Tony tentatively reached out a hand, pressing his fingers into Loki's chest, testing like he had in his dream, before laying his full palm over his pectoral. His eyes were on his hand as it ran over Loki's chest and down his torso, turning upside down over his toned abs.

His hand moved down further and just as his fingers reached the band of Loki's pants, a pale hand flew out and snatched up his wrist. Tony's eyes flew up to Loki's and the god cocked his head to the side. Keeping his gaze on the green eyes scrutinizing him, Tony twisted his wrist and wrapped his fingers around Loki's forearm, tugging hard once and bringing their bodies closer together.

Loki's free hand flew up to Tony's chest to balance himself, his other trapped between them. Their breaths mixed and eyes moved from focusing on eyes and parted lips. Tony tilted up his chin, his lips barely touching Loki's.

"Would you have me tonight, Stark?" Loki's voice was low and husky. And positively vibrated through Tony's body.

He ran his other hand along Loki's ribcage and all the way up his side until he could curl his fingers into his soft, black hair. "You want me to?" he whispered against the god's lips.

"Ye—" he answered immediately and barely had the word out before Tony was crushing their mouths together.


	5. You Owed Me a Window and a Floor

You Owed Me A Window…and a Floor

Tony jerked Loki into the room, slamming him against the door to close it, planting his mouth on his, pressing into him with his own body, using his knee to spread Loki's legs, and holding his arms down at his sides by the wrists. He moved his mouth down to attack the long, pale column of Loki's neck, making the other man groan softly, and he rolled his head to the side to give him more access. He let go of Loki's wrist, moving his hand to the bulge at the juncture of Loki's legs, massaging, moaning against his mouth as the erection under his hand grew.

"Ohhh…more…" Loki murmured against his lips.

Tony bent his head to nip at Loki's chest, flicking out his tongue to lap at his nipple until it was a hardened pebble. Loki let out a hiss, his hips twitched, pushing and rubbing into Tony's hand. The genius backed up just enough to start undoing the laces holding Loki's pants up, fumbling with the complicated knots.

He jolted back with a start when the pants suddenly disappeared and Loki stood before him, long and lean—leaner than Tony thought he was, but toned where it counted. Tony looked up at him, a question on his lips that was lost when Loki surged forward and captured his mouth, fisting his hands in Tony's wifebeater at his chest. He maneuvered them around to the bed, pushing the god down when they reached it. Loki obviously didn't want to break the kiss, Tony thought, as he tightened his fingers in the black tank and pulled Tony down to the bed with him.

Tony moved to straddle one of Loki's legs then reached down to start stroking his impressive length, squeezing even tighter when Loki tore his mouth away to cry out in wild abandon. Tony reached over his shoulder to pull his tank over his head, smirking down at Loki when the flushed-looking god shoved the black shirt up his stomach in haste, then immediately reached for the hem of his boxer shorts, pushing them over his ass, taking the time to dig his long fingers into the muscle there. Tony groaned and ground his hips into Loki's, sharing in his impatience.

He let out a breathless laugh, pushing up on his fists, when, with a frustrated grunt, Loki made the underwear vanish. His laughter died as Loki wrapped his legs around him and lifted his hips, pressing their arousals together, and started to move beneath him.

"Ohh, f-fuck, Loki…"

Loki's hands roamed over his chest, circling the reactor, and he groaned again as Loki raked his nails down, scraping across his sensitive nipples. "You are sure you want this, Stark?"

Tony's body collapsed onto Loki's, his hips moving faster, grinding harder into him, and he buried his face, contorted in pained pleasure, into Loki's fragrant black hair, his lips parted, breathing and grunting like an animal near Loki's ear. "Fuck yes."

Tony felt Loki turn his head, felt his lips at his ear, sending a shiver down his spine as he spoke. "And how would have me?"

Tony growled gutturally and pushed up to his knees, taking Loki's leg to flip him over onto his belly. He lowered himself over Loki again, curled his fingers into that raven hair and tugged his head back roughly, nipping at his neck and biting lightly into his shoulder. "I am going to pound you into this mattress," he hummed against Loki's ear.

Tony couldn't get over the sweet taste of Loki's skin and the tantalizing scent wafting off of him, and rubbed his aching erection between Loki's ass cheeks. The choked moans coming from Loki, and the way he ground himself back into Tony, was driving Tony to do whatever it took to make him keep making those noises. His eyes flicked to the god's long-fingered hands, fisting into the sheets, wrinkling them up.

"Anthony…" It was the first time Loki had ever used his full name, and for some reason, he was getting off on it, and ground himself into Loki even harder. "Get on with it," Loki commanded.

Yet behind the order, under that demanding tone, Tony could hear the plea, the whine, the begging of him to fuck him already. Tony mumbled something about lube.

"Don't trouble yourself," Loki groaned out. Tony was about to question him, and instead watched, speechless, as Loki reached around to take Tony in hand himself, wrapping those long, skillful fingers around his swollen length and simultaneously pushed Tony in and backed himself up, until Tony was fully sheathed, inside him.

"_Loki_…" Tony moaned long and loud at how tight and slick Loki felt around him. Absently, he wondered how long he would last if Loki felt this good just resting on his cock.

"By the Nine, Stark! Move," Loki begged.

Tony leaned back onto his knees, and taking Loki by the hips, pulled him up with him, reaching over to push his head back down to the mattress. He pulled out, agonizingly slow, and pushed back in to the god keening and mewling beneath him. He kept moving slow, tortuously for them both, wanting to enjoy the way Loki panted into the sheets, tightening his fingers into them so tightly, he eventually yanked them off of the mattress. Gradually, his hips picked up their pace.

But it wasn't enough for Loki.

"Harder, Stark!" He growled out between his teeth. "Take me harder."

Tony happily obliged and began plunging himself into Loki, using the bruise-inducing grip on his hips to pull him against him in a rhythm that had their flesh slapping together in a fast tattoo together. "Is...that...hard...e...nough...for...you?" he asked with each slap.

Loki cried out, his head rolling this way and that on the mattress. "Yes! _Yesyesysyes_…!" He reached behind him again, this time grabbing and squeezing Tony's ass. "Don't…mmnnh! Don't release…ahh, inside me…"

Tony swiped a hand over his forehead, preventing the perspiration from trickling into his eyes. After a few more pumps, Tony pulled out and flipped Loki over, yanking his hips up against him and stretching his legs wide to fuck him this way, reaching for his neglected and leaking cock, jacking him off.

"Faster. Faster!"

He grinned down at Loki, his back and chest slick with sweat, his muscles burning, screaming in protest, as Loki's body arched beautifully below him. His fingers still curling into the sheets at his side and above his head. Tony threw his own head violently back when he felt Loki tighten around him and his hand pushed away from his cock. At Loki's drawn out cry he glanced down, watched the god's hand move impossibly fast over his own cock, his stomach muscles clenching, along with his jaw, and he came so hard his body jerked with each spurt expelled from his body. Some splattered onto Tony's lower abdomen and he continued to move in and out of Loki as he swiped it up with a finger, slipping the digit into his mouth, moaning at the sweetest-tasting cum he had ever had the pleasure of tasting.

He was lost in that for a moment, his eyes drifting closed; a hand snaking up his torso brought him back to focus and he looked down again at Loki, flushed and dewy from his orgasm. Their hips were still coming together and Tony could feel his orgasm begin to build, the familiar tightening in his belly, the anticipation of release catching his breath in his throat. Loki reached up for Tony's chin and pulled him down for a slow, tongue-heavy kiss.

"I want to taste you," Loki murmured against his lips.

Tony, breathing heavily into Loki's mouth, pulled out and Loki sat up, shifting quickly onto his knees to take his cock into his mouth. And he took him fully, in one swallow. Tony felt the head of his cock hit the back of his throat and clamped a hand to the back of his head. He felt Loki's hands on him—one massaging his balls, the other stroking in time with his mouth. After just a few more strokes, Tony came into Loki's mouth, the other man moaning with each pulse of it.

His thighs trembling, Tony took himself carefully from Loki's mouth and they collapsed together to the bed, side by side. For a few minutes the only sound in the bedroom was their panting and heavy breathing before they finally started to come down.

"We should've started the week off with that," Tony commented, breaking into the quiet.

Loki chuckled and moved up to rest on his elbows to magic away the mess left behind on them both. He moved to roll off the bed and Tony stopped him with a hand on his arm.

"Stay put."

Loki made no move; he didn't even lift a brow. It was almost as if he went frozen. "…Stay?"

Tony sighed contentedly, brushing a hand up and down his torso. "Yeah…" By this time, he could barely keep his eyes open. "In case I feel the need to do that again in a couple of hours."

With that, Tony rolled onto his side and fell right to sleep.

* * *

He had no trouble sleeping that night. And when he dreamt, he dreamt that Loki was using that sassy, clever tongue of his on his cock. It felt so real, Tony was sure he jerked himself off in his sleep and once again gave in to the kind of exhaustion that only follows coming down off of a high like a rocking orgasm.

When he finally came to, an overcast, drizzly late morning greeted him. Tony rolled and stretched and purred like a self-satisfied cat. He went still when he realized that he was alone in the bed. He sat up, moving the duvet from over his face, and looked about the room. For a moment, he seriously wondered if he had dreamt about the whole thing.

But the proof that he hadn't popped out from his bathroom that very moment, holding the flat sheet from his bed around his waist.

"Good morning," he greeted with a small smile, pausing by the bed when he saw Tony was awake. He didn't sit or try to move any closer. Tony stared at him and must have had his mouth hanging open because Loki took one step closer and touched a finger to his chin.

He chuckled softly to himself. "Hey…"

"Are you…all right?"

"Huh? Yeah! I…" Tony laughed again, rubbing a palm over his face. "I just, for a second, thought I imagined last night."

Loki's brows bobbed a little and pursed his lips. "Are you regretting your actions?"

Tony scoffed and slid one foot off the bed to plant it on the floor so he could stretch out and grab Loki's arm, swinging him down to the bed and climbing over him. "That's not what I said," he answered, his mouth hovering just over Loki's.

Loki half-grinned, tentatively touching his hands to Tony's chest. "I was only—"

Tony cut him off, laying his mouth over Loki's, pressing into him until he could feel Loki relaxing underneath him, feel his lips softening, going pliant, and humming softly into the kiss. Tony reached down on either side of Loki's body moving the sheet away and sliding a hand under each creamy white thigh and moving them apart. Loki whimpered a little when Tony broke the kiss, slipping down the length of Loki's long body until he was on his knees on the floor at the side of the bed.

It wasn't long before Tony had Loki squirming and panting on the bed, his fingers latching onto his short, dark hair like his life depended on it. After Loki finally hit his peak, Tony crawled back up onto the bed, watching the god as he came down, pushing the hair off of his face.

"Well, that was fun."

"And nice recompense for earlier this morning," Loki said with a small smile, his eyes still closed.

"What happened this morning?"

His lids lifted open and bright green eyes settled on his. "Do you not remember?" Tony's eyes moved over his face, his brows drawing together as he thought back.

"That was real?"

Loki smiled slowly, smugly, and chuckled. "Very."

Tony shoved him playfully and looked out his window at the gray morning. "Hey, I got an idea. Looks like it's shaping up to be a miserable day out there…"

"Oh, I don't know…" Loki arched his back to look at the view then decided to roll over onto his belly, moving up on the bed so his legs weren't dangling off of it. "I quite enjoy chilly days like this."

"Whatever." Tony stretched out next to Loki, leaning on one arm, looking down at him. "How about we order in, flip on the TV for some background noise, and you let me spend the day finding new ways to get you to make those delicious noises you made last night? And like two minutes ago."

Loki's gaze slid his way and he smirked, pushing his hair out of his way to lean his head on his hand. "You want to spend the entire day in bed with me?"

Tony shrugged. "Seems like a legit way to pass twenty hours. Besides…" He pressed a hand to Loki's shoulder, pushing him back down to the bed and moved in to kiss his neck. "_I'm_ one of the better sights of New York, anyway." He placed short pecks along Loki's collarbone and upper chest, ignoring the fact that Loki seemed a little hesitant. "What do you think?"

He chuckled shortly. "I think…it sounds like one of your better ideas."

Tony lifted his head, taking note of the apathetic response. "If you don't want to—"

"No," he interrupted promptly. "I think I might enjoy that. But, first, I have to take care of something."

Tony had been watching Loki's lips move as he spoke and now lowered his own to them, licking along the seam between each pale red one. "What something?"

"No questions," he reminded him, less firmly than he had before. "I won't be long." He removed himself from Tony's arms and got to his feet. Tony watched, a little impressed, he had to admit, when Loki conjured up the black pants he'd made vanish the night before and slipped them on, leaving the room before Tony could question him again.

Alone now, and realizing just how much he had to pee, Tony jumped up and padded into his bathroom butt-naked to do so and brush his teeth. He came out and set about changing the sheets on his bed, and asked Jarvis to turn on the television to whatever news channel was on. There was a short report about another celebrity getting their phone or laptop or something hacked and personal photos being released—and gave Tony pause.

"Hey, Jarv? Do me a favor: the footage from my room last night…and this morning…and whatever goes on in here today…put it on my personal drive under a file labeled…hmm…" He smiled to himself. "_Rudolph_. And erase it from everywhere else."

"_Done, sir."_

"Thanks, buddy."

"_Would you like me to do this for the duration of Mr. Loki's stay, sir?"_

Tony settled back on the bed, crossing his arms behind his head. "Yeah, that's a good idea. Also, order up some Chinese. My usual, but add some crispy wings and another coke. And cancel whatever appointments I have for the day."

"_There were no appointments scheduled today, sir. Would you like me to cancel tomorrow's?"_

"Uh, no. I'll probably make it. You sure there was nothing today?"

"_Yes, sir. Ms. Potts' took care to give you a light schedule this week. She did not trust that you would make many appointments without her here to physically get you there herself."_

"Such faith," he muttered. "After you order the food, take the day off, J. I'm not going anywhere. If I need something, I'll wake you up again."

"_Thank you, sir."_

Tony started flipping through the channels himself, but he wasn't alone for very long. When Loki returned, he immediately stripped off his pants, before the door had even closed behind him, went to Tony, and kissed him as he lowered himself to the bed and stretched out beside him. Tony draped his body half over Loki's and ran a hand down his side and stopped right at the slight curve of his hip. "Can you turn into another form anytime you want?"

Tony saw something cross Loki's eyes but whatever it was, was gone before he could identify it. "Yes…," he answered quietly. "Though some forms take more magic than others. I cannot waste it," he said just as Tony breathed in to speak.

"Oh. I wasn't…" Tony chuckled at Loki's cocked brow. "Okay, I was. I just thought…" he trailed his fingers over Loki's hip, down between his thighs. "It might be fun to fuck you in your female form." His eyes shot down between them when Loki's cock twitched at his words. His face was turned, lips covering his.

Loki pulled back, and with a smirk, he sat up and pushed Tony to a sitting position then straddled his lap. "Close your eyes." Tony eyes hardened. "Close. Your eyes."

Tony did and waited impatiently, his hands resting on Loki's hips. Loki removed them, setting them on the mattress. He cocked his head a little when the weight on his legs seemed to lessen. Something soft and light touched his cheek, tilting up his face.

"Open your eyes," a decidedly feminine voice instructed.

Tony slowly lifted one eyelid, both opening as his mouth fell open. Sitting before him—atop him, really—was a green-eyed beauty that he struggled to remember was actually Loki. His hair was still jet black but now fell in a wavy curtain down to his waist—a shapely one at that—that led up to full, firm breasts. And there was definitely not a long, thick cock between his legs at the moment. "Holy shit…"

"Are you not going to put your hands on me?" Loki reached up to brush his hair over his shoulder, trailing his fingers down between his breasts and further.

Tony was in awe. His tongue poked out, swiping along his bottom lip, and slowly, he ran his hands up Loki's thighs, pausing at the wide flare of hips, squeezing his fingers into the soft flesh. His breathing grew shallower by the second, trailing his hands up Loki's sides until he could cup and massage her breasts, rubbing his thumbs over the nipples until they were hard. Loki's head fell back, a hand flying to cover Tony's over one breast, applying more pressure.

Tony wondered how often Loki let someone touch him in this form. And why did he trust _him_ with it?

"Anthony…"

He grinned at the similar plea from the night before, enjoying it just as much in the woman's voice as he had from the man's. "Feel good…?"

"Oh, yes…" Tony watched as the woman form began to gyrate ever so slowly over him. Eyes on Loki's face, Tony reached down and cupped a hand between his legs, moving it back and forth. "M-my senses are…mmm, much more h-h-heightened in this…form."

Tony removed his hand, sliding his hand up the middle of Loki's female body, pushing him—her?—back onto the bed. "Has it been awhile since you let someone touch you in this form?" Tony asked between Loki's breathless gasps and low moans.

"Some time, yes."

Tony was quite impressed with this form, but didn't voice it; he just let his hands roam over the soft curves and dips in muscle. Slipping his hands underneath Loki, Tony moved him so he stretched across the bed diagonally. Licking and nibbling along the way, he moved down Loki's body, ultimately, burying his head between Loki's thighs. With his fingers, he spread Loki open, testing, tasting, taking everything he was offering.

It took very little time before Tony had Loki coming, more than once, wave after wave of tremors coursing over his female form, luscious little cries falling through his lips. Loki was still trembling when Tony slipped into him, hovered over him, and moved against him so tortuously slow, Loki's nails—longer in his female form—scratched over the skin of Tony's back, leaving red marks along the olive-toned skin.

Loki pushed himself up then, bringing Tony's mouth down to his and managed to flip their positions. Tony watched Loki, a smile curving his lips, as he rose and fell, breasts bouncing in time as he drove them both to the crest of that delicious wave, until they both came crashing down.

* * *

The rest of the day, after Loki returned to his Aesir form, they ate together, showered together, rolled around in the bed again together, and even dozed off together here and there. It was evening now, and they had just gone another round, following dinner. This time Tony had let Loki take the reins, and the god turned out to be a rougher lover than he had expected, so he was feeling a little sore from it; he was even sporting some colorful bruises along his hips. Loki had offered to east the aches and wipe out the bruises but Tony declined. He kind of liked his battle scars.

They were sprawled out in front of a warm fire, on the floor of the lounge, having started in the kitchen and made their way there. Loki had shoved the table in the center of the room back, with a thrust of his hand, so they could do it on the soft carpet. Now, Loki was on his stomach, exhausted and a little sleepy, sighing softly as Tony skimmed his fingertips up and down his long spine.

Tony, in the time he had spent with Loki, had never seen him so calm, so relaxed. He had some trouble remembering that this was the same guy who tried to kill his own brother by dropping him from the Helicarrier in a giant glass box. Or who threw him out of his own window. So, naturally, Tony wasn't about to let this opportunity go by.

He shifted again, resting on his side, on his elbow, looking down at the god. Loki, feeling his movement, flipped his head so he could look up at him. And his shrewd green eyes narrowed slightly, his lips curved. "What…?" He asked, drawing out the word.

"Why'd you do it? Attack New York?"

Loki's face fell then hardened. He studied Tony silently for a moment before turning over and moving into a sitting position, drawing his knees up. "I didn't—" he sighed shortly. "I, like the Hawk, had been under the spell of the Chitauri," he answered quietly.

Tony sat up slowly, watching Loki intently.

"I…was angry. At Odin. At Thor…at everything," he said with another sigh. He went on to explain that the alien army's leader had taken advantage of his anger and used the betrayal he felt because of Odin's lies and his reaction to all Loki had done to keep Asgard safe while he was in the Odinsleep, to manipulate and goad him, using him as their tool for destruction.

Tony could see the frustration in his eyes and that he grew more and more upset as he spoke. And he himself grew more and more uncomfortable.

"I didn't want the war," he whispered harshly. "I didn't want to… I just wanted… And now…"

Tony watched, stunned, as the god who had only a year ago stubbornly faced six of the world's strongest and mightiest heroes—as a whole and individually—broke down before his eyes. He hid his face in his arms, resting on his knees, and silently wept.

Tony mentally chastised himself. He expected Loki to make some arrogant or flippant remark, along the lines of doing it because he could or because he was bored, or even just because he did whatever he wanted—which would have been Tony's response. He never imagined that Loki would be sitting before him so completely and utterly naked, in every sense of the word.

Hesitantly—because Tony Stark was great at many things, none of which was comforting people—he wrapped his arm around Loki's strong but thin shoulders. He, in turn, and surprising them both, accepted the comfort and pressed his face into Tony's chest, clinging to him. Tony immediately tensed, and though he was just a tad uncomfortable, he let Loki stay there until he finally started to calm down.

As if realizing what just happened, Loki pushed Tony away and turned his back to the scientist.

"Hey. What—"

"I'm sorry," he broke in. "I should not have lost control of my emotions like that."

Tony shrugged, though the god could not see. "No…no it's cool. Good to know you have them." Loki slowly turned to look at him with a questioning look on his face. "Emotions, I mean. I'd hate to think I've been boning an attractive sociopath all day. Again," he added, mostly to himself.

"I'm sorry," Loki said again.

"Loki, stop. You don't owe me anything. Well…you owed me a window." He flung a hand toward the floor-to-ceiling windows that had long been replaced. "And a floor." He looked toward the spot where the Hulk had used Loki's face as a sledgehammer. He didn't miss the disgruntled noise Loki made at the reminders. "But I think you've made up for that. In spades," he said with a grin.

Loki didn't look comforted at all so Tony crawled closer to him, resting on his knees beside the slumped god and playfully punched a fist to his shoulder.

"Hey, come on. You've paid for your crimes, right?"

Loki glanced up at him from beneath his dark lashes. "Mostly," he replied.

"Okay. You and Thor settled your beef, right? He told us when he came back right after. Kinda wouldn't shut up about it," he explained at Loki's look.

He shook his head and looked away. "Thor's a fool. He wanted to believe the time I spent in prison would have redeemed me, as being banished to Midgard redeemed him."

Tony's eyes widened briefly. "It didn't?"

Loki stared at him a long while, before looking away again. With damp eyes, Tony could tell. "It doesn't matter," he said flatly.

Tony wasn't sure why, but he reached out to cup Loki's chin and turned up his face so he looked back at Tony. He panicked a little, unsure of what to do next. A fat tear started to fall from Loki's eye, and, again without a thought as to what he was doing, Tony leaned forward and kissed the tear away.

Loki's hand came up to his face and he pulled back just enough to look at him. Tony's stomach jumped; the look Loki was giving him was making him nervous. Before he got the chance to back up, Loki reached up and gave him the softest kiss he had ever received; his lips just brushed across his, soft, full, and enticingly moist.

Because his legs were starting to hurt, Tony shifted until he was on his bottom. Apparently, Loki saw this as an invitation. Keeping his mouth moving slowly over Tony's, dipping his tongue into his mouth, sliding alongside and twisting with his own, Loki rose to his knees and swung a leg over Tony, until he rested comfortable on his thighs. Then he reached between them for Tony's cock, stroking him until he was fully erect, and moved up until he could lower himself fully onto his shaft.

When Loki started to move, Tony lost all train of thought, thinking only of his building pleasure. Their mouths lingered over each other, teeth scraping, tongues lapping, breath mingling. Something fluttered in Tony's belly, when Loki's arms slid around his neck. It was certainly the most intimate position he had ever had sex in, with their faces so close, their gazes locked. Tony could see what every touch, every move, did to Loki, washing across his face, wrinkling his brow, making him bite his lip.

And it was the first time he had ever reached his release at exactly the same time as his lover.

Later, when they had moved back to his bed, Tony watched Loki sleeping, peacefully; he himself was filled with anxiety. He stayed up in bed, for who knew how long, concerns, worries, and questions about what exactly these feeling stirring within him were.


	6. An Apron and A Smile

An Apron and a Smile

Tony only slept a few hours that night and woke before Loki. Feeling the need to take a step back, Tony left a message for him with Jarvis that he would be gone most of the day. Jarvis reminded him that he did have two appointments today, and he promptly cancelled them. After spending the day before pent up in the tower, Tony felt the need to get out and get some fresh air and even get out of the city.

He jumped into one of his little sport cars and drove aimlessly for a couple of hours before deciding lunch with Rhodey sounded like a good idea. He called up his old friend and made plans where to meet back in the city and Tony flipped his car around, heading back. He drove with the top down, the radio off and alone with his thoughts.

His thoughts of Loki.

Why it took four whole days for him to realize how dangerous this situation was, he didn't know. Tony would be in a world of trouble if any one of the Avengers, or Fury or Coulson, found out that not only had he been in the presence of a known criminal and not turned him in, but he had been screwing said criminal every night for the last two nights. And given the chance, he had to admit to himself, he would in all likelihood do it again.

Tony was never good at disciplining himself, or doing anything in moderation. He went hardcore, balls-to-the-wall, go big or go home, with everything in his life, whether it was business, drinking, or sex. He had never had a lover that could really keep up with him—even Pepper was disgusted by his tastes sometimes. That all changed with Loki.

But Loki was starting to seep into his veins. He could feel it. He could smell Loki's scent on him, like the god was exuding straight from his pores. He could feel that silky black hair sliding through his fingers, the soft skin of his inner thighs against his hips; that talented tongue of his, working its way up, down, and around his cock like a well-schooled whore's. Even now, Tony's jaw clenched and his fingers tightened around the steering wheel, because he could _actually literally fucking taste him_ on his lips.

Tony did his best to push anything and everything Loki from his mind as he met up with Rhodey at the burger joint Rhodey suggested. The conversation started off with the usual catching up, Rhodey filling him in on his boring job, and him asking Tony what scientific breakthrough he was working on now—and just when was he going to finish work on that flying car Rhodey had always wanted.

But when halfway though their meal Rhodey asked, "What's her name?" Tony realized he wasn't doing a good enough job of not thinking about Loki.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Tony mumbled.

"Please, Tony. I have known you for too long not to know when some chick has her hooks in you." Rhodey aimed his paper cup in Tony's direction accusingly. "You've been preoccupied with something this entire time."

_Shit goddamn it all to hell_, why was he letting Loki get to him?

"If you're worried about me telling Pepper, you don't have to." Tony was glad he kept his sunglasses on so Rhodey couldn't see him rolling his eyes. "I already told her if she was dumb enough to try to tame you, it would be her own damn fault if her heart got broken. I'm not saying you two _should_ be together, but please don't prove me right."

Tony shoved a fry in his mouth. "There is no girl, Rhodey. Honestly."

Rhodey watched him quietly for a moment, chewing the last of his burger as he did. "Then what's going on?"

"Nothing," he answered with a shrug and laughed at Rhodey's subsequent skeptical look. "I don't know, maybe…maybe I just miss Pep."

Rhodey snickered a little. "Right. I wish that were true. It's fine; you don't have to tell me. Listen, I've gotta get back."

Tony tossed a crumpled napkin onto his plate. "Yeah, me too."

The two men cleared their table, tossing it all in a trash receptacle, and walked together to the parking lot. They shared a handshake and a hug before parting, and an agreement that they should meet for lunch more often. As Tony slid behind the wheel of his convertible, Rhodey stepped back over, crossing his arms over the passenger side door.

"Tony, I'm not saying you're a liar. But, like I said, I know when someone has gotten to you—it happens so rarely. I don't know if that's because Pepper isn't here or what, but…"

"Rhodey, man. I swear, it's not…"

His hands flew up, palms out toward Tony, and he bowed his head. "I know, I know, but listen to me, okay? You are my best friend, so it's my duty to point things out to you that you aren't able to see for yourself. Or too stupid to notice."

Tony cocked a brow. "I'm not too stupid for anything. And not that I believe anything you say anyway, what am I not seeing?"

"That it's perfectly okay for you to feel something for another human being…" Tony had cleared his throat to mask the giddy laugh that bubbled in his throat. _Human_, indeed. "Even if that human being just doesn't happen to be Pepper."

Again, Tony was grateful for the dark sunglasses, so Rhodey couldn't see the next roll of his eyes. As if he could feel something for Loki. He thought of the night before and immediately regretted it. Not only would Tony Stark not develop feelings for an immortal god hell-bent on causing mischief, Tony Stark _could not_ develop feelings for him. It would definitely be the stupidest thing he could ever do.

"You deserve some happiness in your life, Tony," Rhodey continued, ignoring or not noticing the crisis Tony was imagining. "And as much as you love your technology and your machines, they can't love you back, buddy."

Tony said nothing, and with a satisfied nod Rhodey got into his jeep and drove off. Tony started his car and drove around aimlessly some more. He wasn't really avoiding going back to the tower; he just wanted to get a handle on himself, his feelings, before he headed back. But his pondering wasn't doing much to help, because the more he thought about Loki, the more he wanted nothing more than to be with him again.

"God damn it," he muttered to himself, slamming on the brakes, turning the car around and heading for the tower.

* * *

Loki was surprised to find himself feeling disappointed when he woke up and Tony wasn't there. Not because he missed him or anything; he just rather enjoyed waking him up with his mouth. And by the tone of Tony's note, Loki wondered if the genius had felt it, as well, the previous night. A connection, a subtle tug of the heart, something deep inside them both coming together as they had mated, in such close contact.

It was exactly what Loki had come to Midgard for—at least, _one_ of the reasons. To find something, anything to make him feel alive—to make him feel something besides the ire that burned inside him. Since he couldn't create any chaos or wreak any harmless havoc—not that he wanted to, because it all sounded too exhausting at this point—he needed something to kill the dull ache that throbbed within him; the emptiness that wanted nothing more than to swallow him whole. He just hadn't expected that something to come in the form of the Iron Man himself.

Back on Asgard, Thor would come and visit with him while he was in prison. Every day, three times a day, for every meal. Why he felt the need to sit outside a damp, dank prison cell to bulldoze through his piled plate of food, while Loki sat in the corner nibbling on bread and sipping on water, Loki never knew. Thor would tell him of Asgard's state as the ruling kingdom—Loki's antics made that fragile and left Asgard susceptible to attacks for some time; filled him in on all the gossip at court—as if Loki cared about any of those people; and, along with keeping him up to date on Odin and Frigga's well-being, Thor spoke quite often of his brothers-in-arms, The Avengers. Loki's ears always perked up, a little, when Thor made any mention of the Hawk, the soldier, the Widow, and the beast. Having faced each one of them in some capacity—faring better with some than others—he found it amusing to hear how they performed against other, lesser adversaries.

But the one that always interested him most, Loki thought as walked into the bathroom, was the Man of Iron. He couldn't deny he found the scientist a most worthy opponent after the evening in Stuttgart, watching him take on Thor in the forest, and later, matching wits with him at his tower. It was why he chose him when he came to Midgard. The two agents, Barton and Romanov, would've turned him over without blinking an eye—though he would bet Barton would stick that arrow in _his_ eye like he had always wanted to. He assumed the same about the Soldier with the Heart of Gold. And, frankly, the green beast is the last person in any realm Loki would _ever_ go to for sanctuary. That left Stark—and it was clearly a good choice.

He smiled to himself, as he left the bedroom, thinking of the last few days. Coming into the lounge, he paused and glanced out the windows to the spot Tony had first landed that day, and idly wondered if he would be interested in a bit of an exhibitionistic endeavor.

Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, Loki went about what had become his morning routine while at the Tower of Stark. After, he dressed, and headed out to explore more of the city on his own, in his disguised form. He wandered around Times Square, checked out the marquees on Broadway, and eventually found himself at a site called Ground Zero. As far as Loki could tell, it was a memorial for some kind of disaster, and it struck him, the trauma he must have caused a city that had already seen so much destruction and devastation. With a sigh, he turned away, and headed back for the tower.

He may have enjoyed causing trouble for his would-be brother and the man who had the balls to call himself his father for the majority of his life, but even the great Trickster God could see now it was a wasted effort the Chitauri used him for, to wage war against the Avengers.

On his way back, he stopped and bought some groceries for dinner. He wasn't sure why he suddenly felt the desire to make dinner for Tony, but after his hospitality—and the last couple of nights—it seemed like the thing to do.

It also seemed like the thing to do to greet Tony wearing nothing but an apron and a smile.

* * *

When Tony got back to the tower, he found a dinner of tagliatelle with smoked salmon cream sauce waiting for him, made by Loki. And the god himself wore nothing but a piece of cloth the size of a large napkin covering his crotch. Loki had barely uttered a hello before Tony was on him, bending him over the dining table and taking him roughly.

They ate dinner, naked at the table, and afterward settled in the lounge again. Loki sat with his knees up on the sofa, scribbling in his leather bound book again, dressed now in those black pants and a loose-fitting green shirt, the laces undone at the chest. Tony was stretched out—back in his t-shirt and jeans—on the same sofa, his toes occasionally toying with Loki's, and a small hologram in front of him, depicting the blueprints of the helmet of his Mark VII suit.

"Whatcha writin'?" he asked, unable to concentrate on his work because he was too distracted by the man sitting across from him. _You got it bad, Stark_, was all he could think to himself, if simple things like the way Loki frowned in concentration, or the way he tucked his hair behind his ear, or gnawed on his lip when he wrote, made his stomach do a flip.

"Words," was Loki's simple answer.

"Hardy-har-har," Tony mocked, returning his attention to the helmet, flipping the mask up with a flick of his finger. He was working on making it more durable and less likely to fly off so easily after the way Thor had pitched it off once the attack on New York was over. It had taken him some time after that to reattach the damn thing.

This time, he was so concentrated on the blueprint, he didn't see Loki make his book disappear, and jolted a little when Loki crawled over and settled himself against Tony, looking up at the hologram.

"What is this you're working on?" he asked conversationally.

Tony forced himself to relax at the dueling emotions inside him. His heart beat a little faster at the contact with Loki's body and the anticipation of more his body had come to expect, but he tensed a bit at the intimacy of the position. "Oh…it's a hologram. Uh, a three-dimensional image."

"Hmm. Is this your Man of Iron mask?"

"Iron Man works just fine, Loki of Asgard," he muttered sarcastically. "And yes, for the Mark VII suit."

Loki asked more questions, pointing and tentatively lifting a finger to the hologram, yanking his hand back at the point of contact. Tony answered his questions as well, and as vaguely and generic, as he possibly could. He may enjoy being seduced and ravished by the god, but he was still hesitant to give any secrets away—just in case.

"What a brilliant and fascinating mind you have, Anthony Stark," Loki commented after he had apparently run of out of questions. "It's a shame you insist on using it to defend the ungrateful miscreants of this planet. You would have made quite an interesting ally for me—for business and pleasure."

Tony chuckled and asked Jarvis to clear the hologram and file it away. "Clearly, you didn't do your research, Mr. God of Mischief, Lies, Fire, _and_ Chaos, like _I_ obviously have. Or you would know I, myself, was once considered the bad guy."

Loki turned his head a fraction. "Were you?" he asked, his tone light but very curious.

Tony let out another short laugh and shifted lower on the sofa so he could set his head on the armrest, and waited for Loki to resettle himself before continuing. "Before I started doing the superhero gig as Iron Man, the press used to call me the Merchant of Death."

"Merchant of Death? How charming. And what did you do to deserve such a title?"

Tony inhaled deeply. "My father made his fortune manufacturing advanced defense weapons, among other things, but mostly…that. When I took over, I…made them better…" He frowned a little. "Deadlier."

"Hmm…" was Loki's soft response.

"I made even more money than Howard had. But I also developed far more advanced weapons that fell into the wrong hands. Hence, the name…" Tony looked down toward his leg where Loki was absentmindedly rubbing his fingers and thumb into the skin of his ankle. And he suddenly realized his fingers were in Loki's hair.

"Well…" Loki's voice pulled him back out of his trance. "We don't always get a say in the names people give us. Do you think I would _choose_ the name Silvertongue?"

Tony laughed, harder than he intended, making Loki's head bounce on his belly and he moved his hand to the top of Loki's head to keep him in place. "It kinda fits though, doesn't it?" He yelped when Loki pinched his calf.

It fell silent between them, after their laughter died away. Tony's fingers returned to Loki's hair, scraping across his scalp, making the god sigh and burrow against him.

"How much longer do you plan to stay?" Tony asked, breaking the silence. He felt Loki tense and his fingers faltered a little in his hair then continued carding through the silky strands.

"Would you like me to leave?"

"Wh…" He moved his hands, sliding them down Loki's chest and back up, rubbing lightly. "No…" He wanted to say more, but he wasn't sure what.

"I will leave in three days' time. May I ask why you want to know?"

"Oh." Tony frowned at his mixed feelings to Loki's reply. "Um, Pepper. She'll be back early Saturday. I just wasn't sure if you'd still be here."

Loki made a sound of acknowledgement but said nothing else. It grew quiet again, a little more tense than before, and Tony was sure he wasn't the only one confused as to why that was, and that neither of them would be the first to bring it up. He parted his lips, ready to speak again, when Loki beat him to it.

"Why did you call me your 'stuff'?"

Tony made a confused face. "…What?"

"When Thor took me from your flying ship, after you and your Captain stopped me in Stuttgart, and you pushed him off of the mountain—thank you for that, by the way; he was about to lecture me again, and I was not in the mood to hear it. But you told him, 'Don't touch my stuff.' Since it was I that was taken, I assume you meant that _I_ was your 'stuff'."

He laughed deeply again, tickled. "I don't know; it just came out. How did you even hear that? You were all the way up on that cliff."

Loki moved to turn over, resting his arms across Tony's lower abdomen. He pushed Tony's shirt up until he could run his fingertip over the reactor and the skin around it. It made Tony a little nervous, but at the same time, Loki's touch also turned him on. "I am a god, Stark, limited though my ability may be at the moment. I am superior to you mere mortals, in every way."

Tony grinned and slid a finger up the side of Loki's face. "And yet, I, a _mere mortal_, can make _you_, an immortal being, beg for my dick like your life depended on it."

Loki's eyes flicked up to his, with a smirk, watching Tony as he lowered his head to press a few short, light kisses to his belly, and twirl his tongue around his belly button. "My life may depend on many things, Anthony Stark. The least of which is your cock." One black brow rose high over a darkened green eye. "I just happen to enjoy it. Immensely."

Because they had suddenly gone dry, Tony licked his lips. "You plan to enjoy it right now?"

Loki kept his eyes trained on Tony's as he ran a fingertip over the obvious bulge in his jeans. "Would you like me to?"

His heart beginning to race, Tony swallowed and nodded. Then his phone went off. They stared at each other, unmoving for a moment, the phone continuing to blast an AC/DC tune. Tony reached for it and answered with a clipped, "Stark." He sighed softly and looked down at Loki. "Hey, Pep."

Loki grinned and stifled a laugh. With the same look of concentration he had on earlier, he set about unzipping Tony's jeans and pulling down his black boxer briefs enough to release his cock.

Tony cleared his throat. "Uh, how's the-the vacation going?"

He watched, biting his lip to keep from moaning, and half-listening to Pepper, as Loki took his semi-erect cock in his hand and brought the tip to his lips. Tony about went weak when Loki lifted his eyes again, locked them on his, parted his lips, and flicked out his tongue to run it up and around the head before taking him in his mouth.

He sucked in a harsh breath, and Pepper asked what was wrong. "Nothing! I just—uh, paper cut. Fuck! No, I'm fine," he said in a strained voice at the feeling of Loki's teeth scraping along his length.

Loki kept going, bobbing his head up and down, humming against his balls, and stroking him until Tony was a writhing mess under him, shoving his boxers and jeans to bunch just above his knees.

"What? Are you drunk? Well, shit, girl—ah…" Tony pulled the phone away from his face to moan and cursed Loki, who laughed, only causing more vibrations against Tony's sensitized skin. "Huh? Oh…go find a cabana boy and have some fun, Pep. I don't—ohhh, shit!"

Loki's eyes shot up and he winked mischievously, smiling around the head of Tony's cock.

"Nothing! Uhh…I hit—the thing—with—my thing. Mm." Loki resumed his stroking and sucking and squeezing and teasing and Tony continued to pretend to listen to Pepper babble drunkenly about swimming pools, scuba diving, and white sand beaches. He blindly agreed with insincere _mm-hmms_ and the occasional _awesome_.

He could feel himself getting closer and knew he had to get Pepper off the phone before he did. "Pep. Pep—Pep! Pep, sweetie, I gotta go…'cause!" His palm slammed onto Loki's head, his fingers clenching in his hair—which served only to egg him on, apparently—and started to thrust up his hips. "Oh, oh, god…I have to—um, Jarvis is…having a meltdown. Fu—go—damn—be safe, get laid, see you soon!" He ended the call, letting the phone fall from his hand, and Loki lifted his mouth from him, pushing his hand away. Tony stared at him, panting heavily. "What? What's wrong? Come on!" he whined.

Loki chuckled and wiped a finger over his bottom lip as he rose from the couch, and started backing away slowly. He crooked a finger at Tony, beckoning him to follow. Tony's eyes swept down Loki's body, watching him, then traveled back up to his face.

"Where are you going?" He got to his feet and carefully tucked himself back into his briefs and kicking off his jeans, half hanging off of his legs anyway.

Loki smirked at him, like the smug son of a bitch he was, and pulled his shirt over his head. "Why don't you follow me and find out?"

"Loki, come on. I was fucking close!" He shouted as he pushed through the door leading to the balcony. Loki turned to face him, walking backward as he started to slowly undo the laces of his pants.

"I know. If I wanted you to finish, I would have let you."

Tony watched him, achingly hard, his mouth _actually, literally fucking watering_.

"I thought perhaps we would have a change of venue. And while we were at it, fulfill a fantasy of mine." He left a few of the bottom laces open, and when he reached the launch pad, he stopped and leaned back against it.

Tony didn't stop to think twice and ripped off his shirt, grateful it was the height of summer. He stalked toward Loki and when he reached him, pressed up against him, and teased his mouth, moving back when Loki leaned in for a kiss. Eyes on Loki, he slipped a hand down his open pants and began to massage. Loki leaned in for another kiss, his tongue poking out for a taste. Again, Tony dodged him and instead pressed his lips to his neck instead; kissing down until he was on his knees before Loki, pulling out his cock and servicing him right there, in full view of the high rise buildings around them.

Tony felt the weight of Loki's leg as he lifted it over his shoulder and he ran his hand along Loki's thigh up to the curve of his ass. "Uhhh…! Now, Stark."

Tony yanked Loki's pants down and they quickly disappeared. He shot up to his feet and flipped Loki around, moved up behind him, took him by the hips and pushed into him. Giving him no chance to adjust, Tony started moving against him, and Loki's hands clenched into fists against the steel frame of the launch pad.

Inevitably, Tony had Loki coming hard, his cries echoing around them. He flipped him around again and pressed his mouth to his. "Can you walk back…mmm, to the bedroom?"

Loki moaned a little and wrapped his arms around Tony, pressing even further into him. "I don't think so. Could you carry me?"

Tony chuckled into the kiss then ducked his head and hefted Loki over his shoulder in a fireman's hold, ignoring Loki's protests at being man-handled. Back in his room, he dropped Loki to his bed and Loki pulled him down hard, ready for another round.

After, they were on the bed in a comfortable quiet, sprawled out on the bed. Tony was stretched out diagonally with Loki resting his head on his stomach, their bodies forming a 'T.' Tony was absently brushing the hair from Loki's forehead and Loki was fighting sleep.

"Did you mean it?" Tony asked softly into the quiet. Loki turned his head to look at him, his face lit by the moonlight streaming into the room, and cocked a brow. "When you said you would never bother us again…?"

Loki turned away and looked up at the ceiling. "…Yes."

Tony's fingers moved down the side of Loki's face and rubbed them along his neck. "Not even me?"

He breathed out a small laugh. "Oh, come now. Don't tell me you'll miss me."

"Well, I didn't say that."

Loki let out a long sigh and turned onto his side, resting his arm across Tony's torso, propping up his head. He smiled weakly and traced a finger around Tony's goatee, rubbing a knuckle under his chin. "I won't be returning to Midgard once I leave, Stark."

Tony felt a chill run through him. His fingers continued to toy with the ends of Loki's raven hair. "Is that, like, a part of your punishment or something?"

Loki lowered his gaze again, and dropped his finger. "Something like that…"

Tony cupped the side of Loki's face, bringing him up as he rose to a sitting position. "Then I guess I better make the most of your time here." He pressed a slow, heat building kiss to Loki's lips and lowered him back to the bed.


	7. Some Jack and Rose Bullshit

Some Jack and Rose Bullshit

They slept late the next day—at least, Tony had. When he finally dragged himself out of bed, Loki was out on the balcony and for a moment, Tony thought he was talking to himself. Dismissing it because he was still half asleep, he shambled into the kitchen to get his morning caffeine and popped a couple of pieces of bread into the toaster.

Loki was sitting on the sofa, writing in his journal again, when Tony carried his breakfast back into the room. He plopped down next to Loki, taking a large bite of his toast, and tore apart _The New York Times_, sitting on the coffee table, until he found the business section and sat back, leaning a little on Loki as he munched and read.

Loki reached for a section, apparently curious about what Tony was reading. He skimmed through the Arts section, looking quite intrigued. Tony reached for his coffee, sipped and went on reading.

"I'd like to go out again today," Loki suddenly declared.

Tony grunted a little. "Where do you want to go?" Loki held up the newspaper showing an advertisement for a movie theatre. He squeaked out a laugh. "You want me to take you to a movie?"

Loki smiled a little and Tony could tell he was confused. "A m-movie? Is that what occurs here?" He looked at the paper again.

"Yeah," Tony answered on a laugh. "Don't they have theatre in Asgard? Actors and plays or skits or something? Entertainment?"

The god lifted his chin, almost regally. "Of course, we do. Theatrical plays were performed at the palace for major celebrations all the time. Is that what a movie is?"

Tony swallowed the last of his toast and shrugged with a short nod. "It's the next step after live theatre. Edison invented the movie camera and Hollywood grew from there."

Loki made a face as to say _I don't need a history lesson, thank you_, then smiled hopefully. "Well…?"

Tony sighed and picked up the business section again. "All right, fine." Loki smiled. "But don't get mad at me if I spend the entire time trying to make out with you."

"Shall I make myself a woman today, then?" he questioned with a smirk.

"Nah," Tony replied without taking his eyes off his paper. "It's hard to give a chick head in a movie theatre."

Loki chuckled and left the lounge to get ready. An hour later and the two now blond men were settling into their seats in the back of a mostly empty theatre. Tony let Loki pick the movie—a romantic comedy, for fuck's sake—and bought a large tub of popcorn and a large Coke for them to share. By the way the previews had Loki fascinated, Tony knew the actual film—shitty, predictable plot, though it may be—was going to astound him. No such luck for the scientist, he thought to himself, as twenty minutes in, he saw everything that was coming and was already bored to death.

So he figured it was time for a little distraction.

The tub of popcorn was nestled comfortably on Loki's knee so they could both easily reach for it. Tony nudged him and handed him the Coke, motioning for Loki to put it in the cup holder to his left. Loki did and went right back to staring up at the screen, with wide eyes and blindly stuffing kernels in his mouth, looking like a complete fool. His smile made Tony smile.

Tony lifted the armrest between them and inched closer, plucking the popcorn from Loki's lap. He looked down at him in surprise and chuckled softly.

"Thank you. I wouldn't have stopped if you didn't take it away. It's very greasy," he said with a scrunched nose. He turned away searching for napkins in the dark as Tony set the tub on the floor.

Once Loki righted himself, returning his attention to the movie, Tony casually laid his hand on Loki's thigh. With a small grin curving his lips, he leaned over and nuzzled his nose into Loki's cheek and neck, all while lightly squeezing his thigh. Loki let out a throaty chuckle and turned his head slightly toward Tony's.

"Stark." His voice was a low, husky whisper.

"Hmm?" Tony started to nibble on and lick his earlobe since it was so close to his lips. And his hand slowly moved up Loki's thigh.

"Should you be doing this here, now?" Loki whispered, looking around the theatre anxiously.

Tony snickered into his head of curls. "What do you care? You wanted me to fuck you on a balcony last night. You are far from shy, Loki. Are you suddenly concerned about privacy?"

"No. But—mmm…"

Tony lifted his hand from Loki's leg to cup his face and tilted his head so he could trail his tongue along the line of his neck. He grinned against Loki's skin at his stifled moan and reached down to undo the fly and zipper of the nicely fitting jeans he wore.

"I, I don't know that I can…" He breathed out sharply when Tony's adept fingers slid into his jeans and began to fondle.

"Can what?" Tony teased against his ear. He spared a glance around the dark theatre, grateful he chose seats in the back, where few people sat on a Thursday afternoon.

"…Can…keep…uhnn, quiet…"

With his free hand, Tony took Loki's chin and turned it up so he could catch his lips in a short, but heated kiss. Loki tried to make it last longer, but Tony pulled away too quickly. "Try," he mumbled before bending to take Loki in his mouth.

He gasped softly and tilted up his hips, laying a hand over Tony's head, as the genius began to bob up and down. Tony could tell he was struggling not to make any sounds, and after a small, quiet cry escaped from his lips, an olive-skinned, callused hand snaked up to cover Loki's mouth. Loki clasped onto it like it was a lifesaver and he was drowning. Tony grunted against him when he felt Loki's teeth sink into the flesh just under his pinky.

"Faster," Loki spat out in a harsh whisper.

"Mm-mm," Tony protested. He had to press down on Loki's thighs when the god tried to increase the speed himself and pump into his mouth. Tony lifted his head, letting Loki's cock slip out of his mouth, and sat up. He wrapped one hand around him, stroking slowly, and moved his mouth to Loki's ear.

"Stark…nnnnh…"

"Shh…if you're gonna make me sit through another hour of this shit, I'm gonna drag _this_ out," he whispered.

Loki growled and turned blazing blue eyes on him that flickered green. "Oh, you miserable little—" Tony pressed his lips to Loki's, silencing him and letting him deepen the kiss as he wished, parting his lips to allow Loki's long and talented tongue access. "Mmm, Anthony, please…"

Tony grinned wickedly and caught Loki's bottom lip between his teeth, sucking on it lightly before letting it go. "I like it when you beg me like that, using my full name."

Loki laughed breathlessly, helplessly, throwing his head back and clenching his fingers in Tony's shirt at the back of his neck. "You are torturous!" he cried in a loud whisper.

"Shh!" Tony hushed him through laughter and quickly bent his head to resume his licking and sucking and pleasuring. He had to cover Loki's mouth once more when he finally let him come. Tony still didn't want to watch the movie even after he zipped Loki's pants up again and busied himself sucking on the god's neck, knowing and not caring that he was leaving marks on the pale white column—that Loki could probably magic away anyway—until the credits rolled.

When the lights came up, Tony pulled back and smiled. "Lunch?"

* * *

"Have you done that before?" Loki asked over lunch at a restaurant and grill.

"Done what?" Tony smirked at Loki's impatient look. "Not since I was a teenager. Forgot why it was so fun," he said with a wriggle of his eyebrows. Loki rolled his eyes and closed his lips around another forkful of chicken. "Hurry up and finish. There's somewhere I want to take you and we have to leave soon if we're going to make it in time."

"Where?"

"You'll see."

Tony decided to go by cab, but the traffic was so bad on Park Avenue, he had the driver turn down a side street and decided they would just walk the rest of the way. They made their way down 5th Avenue, dodging people and Tony had to keep stopping Loki from stopping at every shop but did take the time to point out interesting signs and such, here and there. They had come to a corner and Tony had to pull Loki back when he set one foot into the street and almost got hit by a cab. He went a little speechless when, as they started to cross at the proper time, Loki slipped his hand into his. Unsure what was the right thing to do here, Tony just let it pass, only releasing Loki's hand when they reached their destination: the Empire State Building.

"Where are we?" he asked.

"You'll see," Tony said again, smiling cheekily, as they entered the elevator to ride up to the eighty-sixth floor observation deck.

As they walked out, Loki murmured a shocked "oh, my" at the view that greeted him. Tony smiled and took his hand again to drag him around the entire deck. He had timed it perfectly so they could watch the sunset and, miraculously, Loki was speechless.

"Pretty cool, huh?"

Loki smiled at him before looking back out again. "I love it. The view from your tower's balcony is beautiful, but this…this is amazing."

"It's even more beautiful in the winter. Or even—oh man, on the Fourth of July!" Loki chuckled at Tony's enthusiasm, growing by the second.

"What is the Fourth of July?"

Tony's eyes were drawn to two teenage boys standing near Loki who made faces at Loki's question and walked away. He snickered. "Good thing you have an accent. It's a holiday we just had celebrating America's independence."

"…Independence from what exactly…?"

"Britain." Tony watched confusion wash over Loki's face and waved a hand. "Never mind, it's not important. It's essentially America's birthday. And really just a big day for fireworks, parades, and hot dogs and they light this baby up in red, white and blue. You should come back and…"

Loki's lips curved slightly as Tony trails off, and looked back out at the setting sun, leaning on the rail in front of him. Tony frowned at him and set his hands on the rail, too. He hadn't realized until that moment that he wanted Loki to come back. He promised not to ask questions, but the whole reason Loki was there for a week only was still confusing to him. And why he wouldn't return.

"Why can't you come back, Loki?"

Loki sighed. "Stark, must we do this? It has been such a lovely day. I would rather not have this discussion."

"But I don't get it!" Tony said on a laugh as Loki straightened and faced him. "Maybe if you actually explained it to me, I would understand."

The god pressed a hand to his forehead then shoved his fingers through his blond curls. "I'm afraid you would not understand this, Stark," he said softly.

"So even after…after these last few days…" Tony's brows drew together over his dark brown eyes. "You still don't ever want to come back?" He could feel his heart racing in his chest, feel the vibrating hum of the reactor behind it, as he waited for Loki's answer. He tensed when the currently blond god stepped forward and touched the backs of his fingers to Tony's cheek.

"I never said I did not _want_ to come back."

Tony stared hard at the soft blue eyes looking back at him. "Prove it. Come back."

"Stark—" Loki lowered his hand but Tony snatched his arm by the wrist.

"No, I know what you said. Loki…come back…in one year," he tossed out. His brain worked very fast, taking advantage of the fact that he had shocked Loki into silence. He set his free hand on Loki's hip and brought their bodies closer together. "In one year, on this day, at this time, at this spot. Christ, this is some Jack and Rose bullshit, and totally something inspired by that dumb-ass movie you just made me watch. But..."

Loki chuckled awkwardly and took his hand from Tony's grasp, but Tony could see behind the light humor he was still frustrated by the conversation.

"Do it anyway. For me." Tony watched Loki's face closely, anxiously waiting his response. Loki paused and lifted his eyes to Tony's. He started to shake his and parted his lips, but Tony laid three fingers over them, halting the denial he knew was coming. "Don't think about it. Don't think about why you can't. And don't ask me why I want you to do this. Just…say yes."

Tony's fingers dropped away from Loki's mouth and his eyes roamed over the god's alternate form's face. Something filled those blue eyes, something that Tony couldn't decipher and he saw Loki swallow thickly, tightening his lips like he was holding himself back.

"Loki—"

"Yes."

Tony smiled slowly, more smugly than Loki probably noticed, and lifted up on his tiptoes to press a firm kiss to Loki's mouth. Loki laughed against him and leaned away.

"Stark, we're in public."

"So? People kiss in public all the time." He reached for Loki's mouth again and again Loki ducked him. He looked around and saw a few pairs of eyes on them. Scowling at them, he took Loki's hand and started pulling him back toward the elevator. "What, you never seen people kiss before?" he spat at them.

Once at the elevator, he yanked Loki into an empty one and punched the 'doors close' button repeatedly.

"Sorry! Full!" he yelled through the closing door when a family of four approached. Alone, he pushed a giggling Loki up against one wall and kissed him breathless. "You have enough in you to teleport us back?"

Loki lowered his mouth to his again, and slipping one arm around Tony, turned away from the wall. "Hold on."

"Hold on t…" Tony's question was half out of his mouth when his world was tipped upside down.

In his suit, he had soared over the coast of southern California, had shot out of the Hudson in New York, even flew over to that shitty sandpit where he had been held captive for who remembered how long and back. He had tested the suit durability and flown into the atmosphere. But none of that felt like this.

The air positively sizzled around them and Tony's equilibrium was knocked off balance and he clutched onto Loki tightly, squeezing his eyes shut. What felt like a good minute was actually about two seconds and they were back in the lounge.

"…o what?" he finished. He stepped back from Loki and looked around the large open room in amazement. "That…was…awesome!"

Loki grinned and chuckled softly. "I enjoy it myself. The first time I ever did it I was very young and didn't want to be sitting next to Thor during our lessons and—"

"Hey, Rock of Ages, that's a cool story." Tony stepped up to Loki and reached for the front of his jeans, popping open the fly and tugging down the zipper. "But I didn't want to get back here to listen to you talk about your childhood with Blondie."

"What is this affinity of yours to use those ridiculous names for me?"

Tony feigned a concerned look and slid his hand inside the jeans to cup his hand over Loki's cock. "What names? I don't know what you mean."

Loki's eyelids fluttered closed on a throaty groan. "You know exactly what I mean, Stark."

He had leaned forward to lick at Loki's neck, and snickered now against the long column. He moved his free hand to Loki's hip then around to the small of his back and pulled him closer. "Stark. You call me Stark. But when you're begging me for it, you call me Anthony."

Fingers curled into his still-blond hair and tugged his head back. "I do not beg…Anthony," he murmured, his mouth hovering over Tony's. The genius laughed sarcastically and flicked out his tongue, licking up Loki's chin. Loki smirked. "Don't tempt me, Stark."

Tony wriggled his dark eyebrows. "What are you gonna do about it…Reindeer Games?"

The grin on Tony's lips vanished as Loki returned to his dark-haired form; a flick of his pale wrist and Tony was naked and being bent over the back of the sofa, and being fucked senseless by Loki. He renamed him the God of Sex that night and made a mental note to piss him off again.

* * *

The next morning Tony woke once again to find Loki's head between his legs, which only led to some vigorous morning sex with Loki riding him until the long, lean god was sore. Afterwards, Tony reluctantly had to leave the warm bed, and the cool body in it, and head down a few floors and see how things were going in the office and the other labs.

Everything was running as smoothly as possible without the efficient Pepper there, so Tony decided to head back up to find Loki and have lunch—or a quickie, whichever came first. But he was nowhere to be found. He checked with Jarvis for a note, but there was none.

"How long ago did he leave?" he asked.

"_He didn't leave, sir. His heat signature simply disappeared at eleven thirty-four am."_

"So he teleported out," Tony murmured mostly to himself. "Hmm. Wonder where he went…"

"_Sir, Dr. Banner is on his way up. Should I stop him before he reaches the lounge?"_

"Nah, it's fine. Loki's not here, so…" Tony went to the bar and poured himself a small amount of Jack Daniels and waited. Seconds later the elevator doors opened and Bruce stepped out, adjusting his glasses. "What's up, B?"

"Haven't seen you all week," he said with a shrug. "Have you been hiding away in your lab?"

Tony smiled behind his glass. "Yeah, pretty much."

"And hopefully behaving yourself." Tony smiled wider, shrugged, and swallowed down his liquor. "I thought maybe we could have lunch. Unless you have other plans…"

Tony shook his head and finished off the rest of his drink. "Nope, let's go. Your choice."

Apparently, Bruce was on a health kick and persistent about getting Tony involved so he forced the scientist to go to Subway. And Tony made the mistake of letting Bruce order for him. The bastard didn't even get him the _good_ potato chips or a soda.

"You're killing me, Brucie," Tony griped halfway through the meal.

"A healthy meal once in awhile isn't going to hurt you, Tony. Hell, an _actual meal_ of solid food might go a long way."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Tony asked through a mouthful of a Veggie Delite, shoving a stray green pepper back into his mouth.

Bruce waited to swallow his food before speaking. "I can't be the first person to tell you that alcohol is not food, Tony."

He rolled his brown eyes. "Yeah, yeah…I'm sure Pepper's bitched about it once or twice. I do actually eat solid food you know."

"Potato chips and pretzels don't count."

"Excuse you. I throw some dried fruit in there, too, remember?"

Bruce just shook his head and bit into his own sandwich. "Mm, before I forget," he paused to sip at his iced tea. "If Pepper asks, tell her I fed you this all week."

"Why?" the genius asked on a laugh.

The older scientist grinned lopsidedly and lifted a shoulder. "I said I would. But I got distracted. She's really concerned about your eating habits…or lack thereof."

"She's Pepper. She has a concern about everyone and everything. And my eating habits are fine." He took a bite and thought of the meals he had shared with Loki during the week. "So what's going down on the—" Tony looked up at Bruce and froze. "What?"

Bruce was staring at him, an almost scared look on his face. "Who are you? And what have you done with my Tony?"

Because he knew it wasn't that serious, Tony made a face and went back to his food. "'Your Tony,'" he mumbled sarcastically.

"No, seriously. You're, like…smiling—ridiculously. What happened?"

Tony scoffed. "What? I can't be happy to have lunch with you? I haven't seen you in awhile; except on the cams," he added as an afterthought.

"Cams?" Bruce frowned. "Do you spy on me?"

"Don't get your panties in a twist. I meant the ones in the lab, just to make sure you're doing okay. There are cams in the hallways, but I rarely check those. And there are no cams in the bedrooms."

"Except yours," Bruce mumbled under his breath.

Tony laughed and picked up his sandwich. "You know it."

Bruce swiped his hands together and grinned. "And if someone checked that feed, what would they find, Mr. Stark?"

He chuckled again, shaking his head, still chewing his food. "Like I'd tell you."

"Tony." He glanced up at the reprimanding tone. "I know the whole 'when the cat's away the mice will play' thing is totally alluring, but how can you do this to Pepper?"

Tony sighed, wiping a hand over his mouth. "Bruce."

"I know it's none of my business." Tony made a face as if to say _You got that right_. "But she's a nice girl, man. And she cares about you."

"And _I_ care about _her_," Tony said a little more forcefully than he meant to.

"Do you?" Bruce asked equally as forceful. "How many girls have you been with this week, Tony?"

"None, Dr. Smartass. Now how about you lecture me on something you might actually know something about?" Tony watched the hurt sweep across Bruce's face and felt like a complete dick. "Fuck," he muttered to himself. "Bruce…"

"Like I said, none of my business," he said softly. "I better get back." He gathered up the remnants of his lunch and quickly left the table, leaving Tony scrambling to catch up to him. He finally did in the elevator of the tower.

"Bruce, I didn't mean that."

"Yes, you did, Tony." Bruce smiled weakly at him. "You rarely say anything you don't mean."

"Okay, I meant it, but I shouldn't have said it."

"Tony. It's fine, really." The doors slid open and Bruce gave him a small wave. "Don't worry about it. I'll see you later."

Once Tony was alone in the elevator, he asked Jarvis if Loki had returned yet. The A.I. politely informed him that there had been no sign of him. Frowning now, grumpy from the conversation with Bruce and the fact that Loki had decided to just disappear, Tony headed for his own lab to work out some of his frustration on his machines.

He contemplated having Jarvis alert him when Loki showed up, but he was still too irritated, so he told himself he would just see him later, when he had calmed down. He cranked up the heavy metal, took out one of his damaged helmets and went to work hammering out the dents. He lost himself in the work, losing hours, and ignoring Jarvis when he reminded him to eat every hour beginning at four. After the fifth time, Tony relented and had him shut down the lab.

He went up to the kitchen, fixed himself a quick sandwich and wolfed it down in a few bites before walking back out and checking the balcony. No Loki. He went to his bedroom, hoping he would find Loki waiting for him in bed, or if he was lucky enough, maybe even the shower. But, once again, there was no sign of Loki. His concern growing by the minute, Tony walked back out of his room and headed for the spare bedroom Loki had been staying in.

He was about to walk right in, but thought better of it, and knocked lightly. There was no answer so he pushed open the door and walked into a dark and very cold room.

"Loki…?" He tried the light but nothing happened. "Jarv—"

"Get out."

"Loki?" Tony stepped further in, his eyes trying to adjust to the dark and the dim light coming from the hallway. "What's going on? Why aren't the lights working?" He waited for an answer but none came. "Uh, did something happen that I'm not aware of? Where are you?"

"Stark. Leave." Loki's voice was tight and low.

His frustration growing, Tony struggled for patience. "This is still my tower, Loki. I can have Jarvis fix the lights in a few seconds, if I wanted. I figure there's a reason for this and I'm waiting for an explanation."

There was a short silence and then, "You said you would not question me about what I was doing."

"That was before you started sleeping in my bed regularly." Tony's eyes roamed around the darkness, straining to find Loki. They darted toward a loveseat he knew was in a corner of the room when he heard some movement and rustling of fabric.

"Just because I let you lie with me does not mean you are privy to my private life." Tony could hear the familiar edge to Loki's tone and it sparked something in his blood. "Now get out. And leave me be."

"Not until I see you."

"…No."

Growing angry now, Tony crossed his arms, a silhouette in the doorway, and glared in the general direction of Loki's voice. "I'm not leaving until I know for sure you're not in here doing some weird voodoo or magic shit." Tony gasped and jumped when the light in the hallway burst, casting everything in darkness. Two fists curled into his t-shirt and a blast of cold air smacked him in the face as Loki screamed at him to get out. His back hit the wall across from the room and the door slammed shut shortly after.

Tony stared at the door, his breath coming in pants, tears stinging his eyes from the pain in his back. Confused and suddenly feeling very exhausted, Tony hauled himself to his feet and skulked all the way back to his bedroom.


	8. Thank You for Visiting Stark Tower

Thank You for Visiting Stark Tower

Tony couldn't sleep. A flurry of emotions and errant thoughts kept his body and brain from being able to shut down and recharge. He was pissed at Loki for kicking him out like that. His back was a little sore from the force with which his body had been slammed into the wall. Adding to that anger was his own confusion as to why he didn't fight back, why he didn't slip on the bracelets in his pockets and put on the suit and take Loki down.

_Because you didn't want to_, that annoying little voice in his head told him.

And that voice was right; he _didn't_ want to. What he did want was to know what the hell was wrong with Loki—or more specifically, he wanted to know what he may have done to piss Loki off. And wasn't that just the most fucked up thing he could be thinking right now? He pressed the heels of his hands to eyes, rubbing until little blue sparks lit up behind his eyelids.

In the span of a few days, Tony had started to, subconsciously at least, put Loki in the same category he placed Pepper. He wasn't a very attentive boyfriend, he knew, but he did notice things once in awhile. When Tony and Pepper finally did cross that friendship line, those first few weeks weren't much different than what was happening with Loki. It was sex, sex, and more sex, with some harmless flirting during work hours, and occasionally, Pepper would stay the night. It was all the same, except this time there was one difference: Tony was having feelings.

Bruce was right—he was smiling ridiculously, laughing too hard, having fun _away_ from his lab; Loki was really making him…_feel_. And he was letting these goddamned euphoric feelings engulfing him take over—feelings he wasn't even sure he felt for Pepper at any time during their relationship. Bruce's words floated through his mind again. And thoughts of Pepper. And of course, Loki.

But all those thoughts disappeared when he felt that all too familiar shiver because of the temperature in the room suddenly dropping a few degrees. Slowly, Tony lifted himself to a sitting position and stared in the direction of his corner chair.

"Loki?" he said softly so as not to startle him, if he was indeed in the room. There was silence that followed and Tony started to call for Jarvis to lift the lights.

"Don't," that silky smooth voice called, equally soft. "I am here."

Tony felt relieved and excited all at the same time. "Let me turn on the lights."

"No."

"Loki, I'm not going to talk to a disembodied voice in the dark."

"You speak to a disembodied voice every day," Loki pointed out so glibly, he knew the god had to be smirking. Tony sighed loudly, purposely, and got what he wanted anyway. "One light," Loki relented.

"Jarvis. Lamp by bed, soft light," he said and the lamp flickered to life, illuminating mostly the area by Tony's bedside, leaving the rest of the room in near darkness. But Tony could see him.

In the corner, Loki was sitting in his chair, hidden behind a long-sleeved, hooded cloak. Tony started to rise, but Loki told him to stay where he was. He scooted to the edge of the bed instead, straining his eyes trying to see into the black space that was Loki's face.

"Loki, would you please tell me what the hell is going on? And why you're dressed like Darth Sidious," he added with a toss of his hand toward the figure in his chair. He saw the confused tilt of Loki's covered head and rolled his eyes. "It's from—you know what? It's not important, so don't worry about it. Why are you wearing that?"

Loki inhaled deeply. "My magic is waning, Stark."

Tony idly wondered if he shouldn't already be concerned about something, especially by the tone with which Loki spoke. But he was lost. "O-kay… What does that mean exactly?"

"I am having difficulty maintaining my full Æsir form," Loki said, his voice lowering even more. Tony could hear the rustle of his cloak as he lowered his head and brought his hands together in his lap.

"Æsir? That's, like, Thor, right?"

"…In a manner of speaking." Tony forced his lips not to curve, though he could hear the impatience in Loki's tone.

"So, what, are you horribly disfigured now or something?"

Loki sighed again and rose from the chair, moving to the bed and sitting near Tony at the foot of it. He lifted his arm, fully hidden, and tentatively pulled the sleeve back enough to reveal a black-nailed patchy blue hand. He turned it over to show a fully blue palm.

Before Tony could help himself, a small gasp passed his lips. He reached out to touch, but Loki snatched his hand back, pulling the sleeve back to hide it. Tony remembered again, from what Thor told him, that Loki hated his Jotün form and told himself to tread carefully. "Does the rest of you look like this?"

Loki's head bobbed.

"Why won't you let me see you, Loki?" he nearly whispered.

"Because I'm hideous."

Tony fought not to smile and shifted to sit on his bottom and let his legs hang over the edge of the bed because they were starting to tingle. "Loki, I told you; I've seen depictions of you like this. Different takes on it, which may or may not be accurate, but none of them were in any way hideous."

Loki said nothing and didn't move a muscle.

"Take off your hood and let me see that face." He shook his head. Sliding closer, Tony lifted his hands to the edges of the hood and pushed it over Loki's head.

The raven-haired man raised his head but lowered his eyes as Tony's curiously roamed over him. The god's face was a blended mix of blue and pale skin with faint raised lines starting to appear along the blue parts. Tony touched a fingertip to Loki's chin and Loki frowned before meeting his gaze. One of his eyes had fully turned a crimson red; the other, just the iris had turned the same shade of red.

"You look good," Tony murmured and Loki stubbornly shook his head. He dropped his hand from Loki's chin and pursed his lips. "_This_ is why you tossed me out of the room last night?" Loki nodded, glancing down once more when Tony took his wrist and pulled back the sleeve again. He let Loki's hand rest in his and felt the cold of it seep into his skin. He held it for a good half a minute before he had to drop it like it was a piece of hot coal and hissed from the cold burn.

Silently, Loki pulled the sleeve back again. "You will not be able to touch me for very long. You will burn yourself. Stark, no…"

Tony ignored his warning and reached out again, this time pulling the cloak open and shoving it over Loki's shoulders. Loki turned his head away as Tony took in the sight before him. Loki's chest was almost completely blue but for his arms, from shoulder to mid-forearm, and most of his stomach was still pale. Tony could tell Loki was uncomfortable and he started to draw his arms over himself. Tony laid a hand on each of Loki's arm, in a pale spot, and lowered them again.

"Stop it. Hey, this is nothing to be ashamed of, Loki. You're beautiful."

Loki stopped struggling and stared at him, a pink flush tingeing his cheeks. His brows twitched and came together as Tony moved even closer, their thighs now touching. He grunted softly. "Stark, stop. I don't want to hurt you."

"Since when? Hey, hey, hey…" Tony tightened his fingers around one of Loki's arms and tugged on it to get Loki to stop moving away, laying a hand on his covered thigh for good measure. "I get it okay? I was really self-conscious about the reactor at first, too."

"That is not the same." He sighed again, closing his eyes, and shaking his head, but relaxing under Tony's fingers all the same. "This form—this blue hue—it is just a reminder that I am a monster, a barbarian by nature…" His voice shook and it made something inside Tony hurt. "And of all the lies I lived with all of my life," he nearly whispered.

Tony waited, hoping no tears would come from the dual-toned eyes. Embarrassment and shame he could deal with; tears—not so much. When none shed, he sighed in relief in his head, then took Loki's hand and placed it on the reactor. "Feel that?" Loki looked at their hands on Tony's bare chest. "This is the only thing keeping me alive."

Loki's eyes flicked up to his, surprise flitting across them briefly.

"It's also a constant reminder for me, too. A reminder that my surrogate father betrayed me, that a good man lost his life just to save mine, and of a near-death experience that I would really, _really_ like to forget."

Tony was a little taken aback as he watched Loki's lips curve up on one side. "You know, Anthony Stark…I think you and I are more alike than I ever imagined we could be."

Tony chuckled softly then leaned forward to press his lips to Loki's, taking advantage of the god's distraction. Loki made a quiet noise of surprise but immediately his lips softened against Tony's, parting in invitation. The kiss turned very heated very quickly, and Tony prodded Loki to fall back to the bed, being careful not to come into contact too much or too long with Loki's blue skin. His fingers trailed lightly over Loki's side and down toward his crotch. But Loki pushed his hand away.

"Could we just…lay here together tonight?" Tony didn't hide his pout very well and Loki grinned, lifting a finger to tap against his bottom lip then traced along his goatee. "This is my last night here…" He ran his fingers over Tony's face lightly, almost lovingly, over his hair and down to rest against his chest. "And I don't want it to go by too fast. I want to…remember."

Tony trailed his fingers along Loki's neck. He was already halfway hard, but he found he was totally fine with at least having Loki in his bed again. "Okay. Let's get under the covers. And Loki? Lose the cloak." Loki chuckled and Tony moved off of the god, fixed the messy sheets a little before jumping into the bed. Loki had carried his cloak to the chair and as he headed back to the bed, Tony held up the sheet and blanket in invitation. Loki slid in, and ignoring his protestations once again, Tony pulled him next to him, hugging him close, despite the parts of his blue skin making parts of him grow goose bumps.

"Stark, you cannot stay like this all night."

Tony silenced him with a soft kiss. "Do I have to spell it out for you that I don't give a shit if you burn me?" he murmured against his lips, catching them between his again before Loki could respond. "I'm not letting you spend your last night away from me."

"Anthony…" Loki nearly whined, his cool breath fanning over Tony's face.

"Shh…" Tony cooed, running soothing hands over Loki's back, marveling at the way his skin went from cool to ice cold and back as his hands passed over pale and blue skin; his lips and teeth nipped and nibbled at Loki's chin and jaw line. "I'll keep it to just kissing. Promise." Tony pressed his mouth to Loki's again, rolling his body over Loki's, sliding his leg between the god's, hiking one of the long lean ones up and around his waist. Loki moaned and draped his arm over Tony's neck.

"Liar."

Tony did keep his promise and continued the achingly slow kissing, even keeping his hands above the waist, until they eventually fell asleep. But some time in the night, one reached for the other. Slow, soft kissing resumed; shorts and pants were peeled away; bodies pressed together, legs entangled. And taking the risk of getting burned, they made love.

* * *

On the morning of Loki's last day, Tony woke first and his eyes settled on Loki still asleep next to him. He moved to touch his still-patchy blue face, grimacing as the movement sent a short wave of burning pain across his chest. He sat up and looked down at himself and found a jagged strip of red flesh stretching over the arc reactor. He touched a finger to it, hissed a little, and jumped out of bed to run into the bathroom.

He breathed out a long breath at his reflection as he had similar strips of ice burn all over his body, and two particularly dark red marks on his inner thighs that looked suspiciously like someone's long-fingered handprints. He quickly emptied his bladder and splashed some water on his face before returning to the bed and slipping in beside a snoozing Loki. He noticed there were bigger patches of blue now and more ridges, sharper and more defined, appeared as well.

He was running his finger over different ones on Loki's back, shoulder, and arm when the god sighed in his sleep and flipped his head on the pillow. His eyelids lifted, closed, and fluttered a few more times before settling open on Tony's face. "…Hi…"

"Hey…" Tony smiled a little and kept his eyes on Loki's as the god moved in to kiss him good morning. He pulled back and his jaw dropped at the sight of Tony's body.

"Oh, gods…i-is that because of me?"

"It's fine," he said softly. Loki reached out to touch the red marks, his brows drawing together as he did. "Don't worry about it. They'll go away after a hot bath." Loki's eyes flicked up to his briefly and he tugged the sheet down to expose more of Tony's body.

"Does it hurt?"

"A little, but nothing I can't handle."

"I'm sorry." Loki moved away curling into himself under the sheet. Tony hooked a finger under his chin, turned his face up.

"Hey…I told you not to worry." He smiled crookedly. "It was totally worth it." Loki's brow furrowed even more and he started to burrow into himself, but Tony didn't let him. Taking Loki's face in his hand, he brought their mouths together and slid down in the bed to slip his leg between Loki's. Loki groaned in protest and pushed as lightly as he could against Tony's shoulders.

"Anthony. Don't. I'll only burn you more."

Tony hissed as an ice cold patch of Loki's skin brushed over his growing erection. "I don't care." He reached for Loki's partly blue leg, hooking his hand in the crook of his knee, and spread his legs wide enough to settle between them. Loki reached down and pressed his hands to Tony's hips, lifting them away from his.

"I do. I've caused enough damage on this planet; I don't want to add you to the list." Tony chuckled and the two of them struggled against each other, but Tony could feel Loki's objections growing weaker.

"You're not going to hurt me."

"Anthony."

"Loki. Stop." He took his wrists and pressed them to the mattress. "Hey!" Loki glared up at him, and Tony froze realizing both of his eyes were back to their normal green. "What did you do to your eyes?"

Loki's blue chest rose and fell rapidly as he panted beneath Tony. "I…I changed them back…so you wouldn't be frightened…when you looked at me."

Tony sighed and lowered his mouth to Loki's and suddenly had the tables turned on him as Loki easily flipped their positions. He stared up at the god with wide eyes.

"I may be in a weakened state, Anthony Stark. But I am still stronger than you." Tony gave no response and Loki rolled off of him to the edge of the bed. He made it just to the edge, but before he could get up Tony slid his arms around him, wincing only a little at the cold.

He clung to him, and silently questioned why he was behaving so uncharacteristically, like a schoolgirl with a crush. "Loki. This might be the last time we get to do this." He loosened his hold a little and nuzzled into Loki's neck, pressing his mouth purposely to a blue patch on Loki's shoulder. "For a year, at least," he added flippantly.

Loki sighed, but Tony could tell he was softening and felt him start to give in. Keeping his arms around him, Tony ran his hand appreciatively over Loki's toned abs then down his thigh. He grinned at the purr that Loki gave when he scratched his nails back up his thigh. He kissed slowly up Loki's neck until the god's head tilted back far enough that he could reach his lips and fell with him back to the bed.

They made love again, slowly, each taking the time to caress and explore every line, every dip of muscle, as if they were trying to memorize each other's bodies.

Afterwards, Tony didn't feel as elated as he thought he should have and made a quick escape to his lab. The mood now was so melancholy he couldn't concentrate on the work he was trying to distract himself with. Giving up, he headed up to the lounge to find more distraction in the form of food or drink. He settled for coffee and parked himself at the bar, watching Loki through the windows.

The god had spent much of the morning after Tony left on the balcony—so Tony had spied on his cameras. He alternately wrote in his journal and did that thing where it looked like he was talking to himself. Tony figured it was a weird Asgardian custom and thought no more of it. There was even a moment when Loki looked near tears. Not wanting to deal with that, Tony got up to refill his mug with more coffee and came back to the bar. He had just added a dash of whiskey to his coffee when Loki came back inside.

"It's time," he announced flatly.

Tony froze and felt himself grow cold. "…Already?" Loki nodded and Tony brought his mug to his lips, gulping down half of the spiked drink before setting it down and moving around the bar and approaching Loki, still dressed in the black pants and green shirt he normally lounged around in. "So this is it, huh?"

Loki watched him approach, smiled softly.

"Are you taking the Rainbow Express back to Asgard?"

He chuckled. "No. I have enough left in me to teleport back."

"Oh…well." He lifted his shoulders awkwardly. As uncomfortable as Tony was with even the tiniest bit of emotion, it was downright painful what he was feeling right now and he could only think of trying to ease it with one of his poor attempts at humor. "So…thanks for visiting Stark Tower. We hope you enjoyed your stay. Feel free to leave any comments or complaints with Ms. Potts and she'll—"

Loki stepped forward and laid four fingers over Tony's lips. "Stop." Tony cleared his throat and nodded shortly. Loki lowered his hand and stepped back, closing his eyes. Tony watched as he transformed into his usual leather and metal outfit. His eyes opened and settled on Tony. "Thank you…for giving me this week. It was…" he smiled. "It was _exactly_ what I needed."

Tony opened his mouth to speak and was shocked to find himself at a loss for words. So he simply nodded. Loki angled his head and stepped closer.

"Do something for me?"

"Anything," he said, his voice barely above a whisper.

"Get more sleep. Drink less. And don't spend so much time in your lab."

Tony slipped his hands in his pockets and grinned. "I'll try. Not a chance. And when I find something more exciting to do, I just might."

Loki's lips curved and he raised his hand. Tony thought for a moment he was going to touch him, his face, but instead he just pushed his hair away from his face. "Goodbye, Anthony." He started to turn away and Tony moved to follow, halted by the hand pressed to his chest. "No…"

Tony stepped back and reached up to touch Loki's hand, but the god pulled it away before he could. He watched Loki move to an open spot, frowning to himself, his insides twisting painfully. Loki raised his head and looked right at him and knew he was ready to leave. "Loki, wait!"

He closed the distance between them in a few steps and brought Loki's mouth down to his, telling him in this way what he couldn't with his words. After breaking the kiss, he pressed his forehead to Loki's cheek.

"Sunset. Empire State Building. One year from now. Be there. Okay? Okay?"

Loki gasped for breath, his fingers clutching to Tony's wrists. "…Yes."

Tony reached up to kiss him once more, struggling to hold on even as Loki fought to step back. The god finally had to shove him back and quickly vanished. For a few long moments, Tony stared at the spot, watching wisps of green smoke fade away until his eyes burned, tasting what he swore was the salt of tears that weren't his on his lips, and wondering why he suddenly felt so empty.


	9. You Crazy Wonderful Son of a Bitch

You Crazy, Wonderful, Son of a Bitch

_One year later…_

Tony was in a rush. The last-minute business meeting, that Pepper just had to set for him, ran way over and he finally called an end to it when he started snapping at everyone.

He was in the elevator now, riding up to his levels, Pepper at his side, jabbering in his ear about something he was sure he didn't give two shits about, but couldn't really know for sure because he wasn't paying any attention at all to her. His ears perked up at the mention of Bruce.

After their little tiff the year before, Bruce never seemed to feel comfortable around Tony and Pepper and chose to take a leave from Stark Industries, and returned to his work in India. After Tony had ended it with Pepper—largely because he realized Bruce was right; he couldn't string her along, but also because after Loki, being with anyone else just felt…_wrong_—Bruce started dividing his time between New York and India, and he was coming back to New York within the next few days.

Aside from Bruce's city-hopping, and Tony and Pepper's status as a couple, nothing had changed much at Avengers Tower. Natasha and Clint were still doing their assassin and spy thing—and thinking no one knew they were sleeping together—and Steve had finished his trip rediscovering America and was planning a trip to explore the British Isles and Europe. It was something he had put off, Tony knew, because he wanted to search for any living relatives of Peggy's, and was afraid of what he would, or wouldn't, find. Everyone was still working with S.H.I.E.L.D., though there hadn't been much for them to do for some time now, which meant Thor had not been down to visit in more than a year.

Pepper trailed Tony into his bedroom, shooting off a heads up about his schedule the following week, as he changed from his business suit into his usual jeans and a t-shirt. She asked if she could move a late morning meeting to lunch on one particular day and Tony answered absently that it was fine as he whizzed past her. Pepper frowned and fisted a hand on her hip, clutching her hand-held digital calendar in the other.

"Tony, what the hell is going on? Why are you running around like someone just lit a fire under your ass?" she asked on a short laugh.

Tony slipped his black sunglasses over his eyes, coming to a stop in front of his oldest friend. "I got a thing," was his only explanation. "Listen, I'm gonna be busy for the rest of the night, so take a load off, have a good weekend, and I'll see you Monday." He pressed a quick peck to her cheek and before she could say another word, Tony was out the door.

* * *

Sitting in a cab on his way to his destination, Tony's fingers drummed impatiently on his bouncing knees, and his stomach pitched a little as he rode up the elevator. When he finally reached the observation deck, Tony did a couple of laps around the entire building but found no sign of Loki. He stopped at the spot he and Loki had stood in exactly one year before and waited.

The minutes ticked by and Tony was a ball of pent-up energy. He had spent the last three hundred and sixty-five days waiting for this moment, waiting for the second that empty feeling Loki's departure left within him to be filled once again with whatever magic it was the god possessed. He broke it off with Pepper about a week after she returned from her vacation, unintentionally. He was going to wait, but in his avoidance of her, Pepper pushed the issue and he ended up doing it sooner than he planned. Luckily, she didn't take it too hard—she dramatically admitted amid tears that she hooked up with some British rocker the whole week she was on vacation. The whole things passed without much drama, thank god, and they went right back to a more professional relationship, and had actually never been better friends.

Pepper asked him once, a few months after, what had happened that week she was gone. Something was different, she had said, and he was lighter. He brushed it off, not really giving her, or anyone who asked, an answer, and eventually they all let it go. He assumed Natasha suspected something and probably tried to do some digging, because that was Natasha. But he made sure to have Jarvis re-encrypt his _Rudolph_ file every week. That is, when he wasn't busy making use of it.

Tony didn't consider himself cured of his playboy ways; there were times he found himself attracted to a slim blonde or a cute redhead every now and then—and once even, a tall, skinny dark-haired young man. But he never gave in. He realized now, today, he had been waiting for Loki. He didn't need to be a god of Asgard or any realm; Loki had a magic all his own, ingrained in him, that perforated the conscious of anyone he came in contact with. Tony often thought that was why Thor never gave up on him, even when he was creating chaos on the two worlds that meant the most to him. So when he missed him—his snarky remarks, the way his lips kicked up in that sexy smirk, or even just to hear his laugh or voice—Tony had Jarvis cue up the feed of them eating, talking, making love. And now, he would get to see him again, in the flesh.

He could barely contain his excitement, even smiling to himself as he leaned out, looking at the beginning of a gorgeous sunset and the city stretched out before him.

It took him a moment to realize someone had moved up beside him. It took another moment for it to register that he knew the person, and it wasn't who he was expecting. "Thor? What the hell—" Tony cut himself off and glanced around, expecting Loki to be there, too. "What are you doing here?"

Thor smiled softly, but Tony didn't see the usual brightness in his eyes. "'Tis good to see you, Man of Iron." Tony's lips curved, but it was a weak, uncertain smile. "May we find a quiet place to talk, old friend?"

That was when Tony felt it; a heavy, sinking feeling, an anvil dropping his stomach to his feet. Something burned in his chest, behind the reactor, but he pushed it aside and nodded. "…Yeah…sure…"

* * *

The odd pair headed down and out of the Empire State Building, and Tony led the Asgardian to a nearby bar, settling in a secluded corner after ordering himself a double whiskey and for Thor, the bar's strongest ale. The entire time he forced himself not to think what may have happened with Loki and preferred to hope Thor wasn't there to beat the shit out of him.

"So? How'd you know I would be there?"

Thor swallowed the swig of ale he took and kept his eyes on his glass. "I was told to meet you there at sunset on this day."

"By…?" They both knew the answer, but for some reason, Tony needed to hear Thor say it.

Thor recognized his ruse and sent him a bland smile. "You know who told me, Stark."

Tony nodded, a small smirk playing at his lips, and knocked back a little whiskey. "Why are you here instead of him? Did he chicken out? Had something better to do?"

"Stark…"

"Is he creating havoc on some other realm?" he scoffed and drank again.

Thor paused a moment, his hands curling around the large glass of ale. "My…my brother is no longer with us, Stark," he said softly, his voice scratchy.

Tony went still, staring at Thor, unblinking, for a few long seconds. His head angled to the side and his brown eyes blinked once then again. "What?"

Thor snuck a glance at him, quickly looking away again, closing his eyes before, murmuring, "Loki has…passed."

He continued to stare for a few quiet moments then scoffed incredulously again. "But…but he's a god. He can't…" His lips tightened, going white briefly, unable to finish the sentence. "He's immortal," he nearly whispered, his voice shaking so much he pressed a hand to his mouth.

Tony watched Thor, obviously struggling to keep his composure. "He _was_ a god. My brother was not completely forthcoming with you, Stark—from what he told me he told you."

"What does that mean?"

Thor breathed in, seemingly steeling himself, and began to explain. "Loki's sentence had already been handed down to him when he arrived on Midgard. He had been stripped of his godhood and given one week—in Midgardian time—to get his affairs in order."

"You _did_ know he was coming here," Tony commented absentmindedly, mostly to himself. A small part of him, of his heart, swelled knowing Loki didn't lie about everything.

"Yes. I did not know, however, that he would come to you, but…" The god sighed heavily, pushing a hand through his blond mane. "He came to Midgard because it is—_was_—it was the only place he could safely contact all of his children." His jaw muscles clenched and his voice broke as he finished, "So he could say goodbye."

Tony stared blankly at the table, his eyes filling with tears, and thought that must have been what Loki did on his balcony every morning. "Why here?" he managed.

Thor swallowed back the thick tears in his throat, shaking his head at himself. He thought he had exhausted himself of his tears over his brother in the time he had been gone. "His magic was limited—just enough to get here, contact them, and return—but his signature was strongest in two places which would help them find him. Asgard and…" He chanced a look in Tony's direction. "Here, at your tower."

Tony's eyes flicked up, still brimming with unshed tears. "Why didn't he tell me?"

The god inhaled shakily and grinned softly. "Initially it was because Loki does not share himself with anyone very easily. After…he was not expecting you to show such kindness and was unsure how to explain. He spoke of you often, Tony…at the end. He was not lucid, but…"

Tony dropped his head into his hand, too devastated to be embarrassed, and Thor drifted off. "Fucking A, Loki…" he muttered to himself.

Thor was still struggling with his emotions, but continued. "Anthony Stark, I do not know what the extent of your relationship with my brother was." Tony looked up, peeking at Thor through his fingers and opened his mouth to speak, but Thor lifted a hand, cutting him off. "Nor do I care to, but…I want to thank you."

Tony frowned and straightened. "Huh?"

"Whatever you did, whatever transpired in the time my brother spent here with you, it brought peace to him, or at least, it gave him something to help him accept his fate."

He looked down at his work-worn hands, briefly picturing them running over that smooth, flawless pale skin. "He knew then? He knew he was going to…?"

Thor nodded, Tony could see in his peripheral vision. "Father had a certain amount of snake venom put into capsule form and forced Loki to take it before he left. It would take just over a month to…take effect. But because of his weakened state from his time in prison, it worked faster than anticipated." He swallowed again and ducked his head to the side—to wipe away tears, Tony assumed, but made no acknowledgment of. "He was gone in less than three weeks," he croaked out, gasping quietly to catch his breath.

Tony's dark eyes moved to Thor again, glaring this time, his hands fisting on the table. "Was that Odin's idea of a humane death?" he asked through clenched teeth.

Thor breathed out, took a long drink from his glass. "It was Loki's choice."

Tony felt his blood run cold. "What—? W-was there some other option?"

"Yes." Thor set his gaze on Tony's. "Banishment to Jotünheim." Tony's jaw dropped. "He feared he would not survive one day there."

"Why did that matter?" Tony spat out. "He chose death anyway."

Thor sighed and placed a heavy palm on Tony's forearm. "In this way, he was able to see his children one last time."

_What about _**me**_?_ Tony wanted to ask, but couldn't make his mouth work. Instead, he huffed shortly and looked away. "Well…thanks for coming down to tell me all of this. I gotta get back to the tower." Tony stood, dropped a few bills on the table and started out, ignoring Thor's call after him. He made it outside and around the corner before Thor was able to catch up.

"Stark! Tony, please! There is one more thing."

Tony wanted nothing more than to be left alone, but stopped and whirled around to face Thor. "What?" he demanded shortly. Thor took Tony's arm and led him away from the busy street to an empty alley. Tony shook his arm off. "Dude, this is New York! I don't know what goes on in Asgard, but two guys in a dark alley either means an exchange of money and a blowjob or one of them is about to get knifed."

"Tony," Thor said patiently. "I cannot let anyone see what I am about to do."

"Well, hurry up." He crossed his arms indignantly and waited. He relaxed a little when Thor turned his back to the street, where people still crossed the alley entrance, closed his eyes, mumbled some kind of incantation, and a cloth-wrapped item appeared in his outstretched hands. He faced Tony again and held it out to Tony.

"Loki asked me to give this to you."

Tony's face scrunched into a pained look and he had to blink back tears. He had no idea what it was, but the fact that Loki left him anything… He reached out and let Thor set the item on his hands. It was heavy and he idly wondered what the material of the cloth was made from.

"I can see that you are saddened by my brother's passing, Man of Iron. I wish you could have known him as I did." Tony wanted to laugh at that and tell Thor he was pretty sure he knew him inside and out. "We mourn on Asgard, as well."

His eyes flicked up at that, dark and narrowed, skeptical. And Thor shrugged a little, relenting, and grinned softly.

"Mother mourns, heavily. I miss my brother every moment of every day and imagine I will for a very long time. And Odin—he mourns in his way. But you should know…" He laid a hand on Tony's shoulder. "This is what Loki wanted."

Tony lowered his head and pressed the clothed item to his chest, where that slow, aching burn had returned, and forced himself to nod so Thor knew he heard him.

Thor pulled his arm back and straightened. "I must return to Asgard. I hope this gift brings you the same measure of peace you brought to my brother in his final days."

Tony felt a punch at those words, but put on a smile for Thor. Needing solitude, he advised Thor to head back to the tower ahead of him to leave by the Bifrost so he wouldn't draw any attention. After Thor was gone, Tony walked for awhile, to no place in particular, the object in his arms seeming to grow heavier and heavier.

Eventually, he caught a cab back to the tower and headed straight for his lab. He set the object aside, had Jarvis crank up some Motley Crüe, and tinkered with the Mark VII for a little while, getting lost in the work. When his neck and back started to ache, Tony decided to call it a night. He had forgotten about the gift Loki left until it caught his eye on his way out. He picked it up and carried it with him to his bedroom, tossing it on his bed before heading into the bathroom to ease his sore muscles in a long, steaming hot shower.

After slipping on a pair of black boxer shorts, he crawled into bed and set the cloth before him. Carefully, using just two fingers, he pulled at the string holding it together. He laughed through the tears blurring his eyes at the sight of the leather-bound journal Loki had constantly been writing in. He lifted it, turning it this way and that, studying the intricate design on the spine, and held it close to his face, inhaling the scent of worn leather and something else.

Something…_Loki_.

The spine creaked as he opened the journal, and for a moment, he admired Loki's fancy penmanship, running his fingertips over the dried dark green ink. The first page was written as if addressed to a random reader, almost an introduction. The rest was filled in with the stories of his life, told from his point of view. Loki never apologized for anything; only offered clear, concise, even logical explanations for the things he had done.

Tony read the thick book, through all of it, all through the night. Around the time the sun started to come up, he noticed there were just a few pages left, and he had just finished reading the section on the attack on New York, the Chitauri, and facing Odin for his crimes. It brought tears to his eyes to read of the torture that Loki had suffered at the hands of Thanos and the Chitauri—and to read of the strained relationship between Odin and his adopted son. That part felt particularly familiar, and painful, for Tony.

He turned the page again and shot up straight in his bed. Loki had written about his time in New York at Stark Tower. Tony noticed the change in tone—there was emotion here, feelings. Sincerity. But it was the last page that had Tony silently, and half-heartedly, cursing the god for coming to his tower.

The last paragraph of the journal was addressed to him, written in a less than legible script—obviously near the end. It read:

"_To the man made of iron…_

_Thank you for showing me the tenderness and affection I sought so relentlessly during my lifetime. Thank you for letting me see that I, too, could be desired as strongly as I desired. You accepted me in every way—something no one had ever done before, not even my brother. There were many before you, but none of them touched me, in my heart, the way you did. When I pass to the next world, I will not miss anything from this life…except you. And I will carry with me the memories of my last week on Midgard and of you._

_You are a special man, Anthony Stark. Do not let anyone tell you different._

_I love you."_

Silently, tears rolled down Tony's face and one or two landed next to Loki's signature. He slammed the book shut and clutched it to his chest as he curled up into a ball in his bed. _I love you, too, you crazy wonderful son of bitch_, he thought before finally, giving himself up to the grief.

* * *

**2nd A/N: **

**I AM SO SORRRRRRRRRYYYYY.**

***sends you all love, hugs, Sherlock shock blankets, and cookies***

**XOXOXOXOXOXOXO,**

**LaLa *hearts***


	10. Epilogue: Loki

Epilogue: "Loki."

The papers blamed his hard and fast living. For years to come, he would be used as a warning to the dangers of alcohol and too much time and money, and even the burden of genius. In contrast, he would be exalted and praised as an example of living life to the fullest, alongside such legends as James Dean, Jimi Hendrix, and Janis Joplin. _Live fast, die young, leave a good-looking corpse_, and all that.

And just like those revered stars, he had had his demons.

The only one who knew the truth would never tell a soul, not for as long as she lived. He didn't think she knew; he thought he fooled her along with everyone else with his witty humor and self-deprecating jokes. But she knew.

She knew from the beginning—or the end, really; the end of their relationship, to be exact. When she came back from that vacation she knew right away something was different with him. At first, it was a positive change. He smiled more; he didn't roll his eyes as much when other couples were being romantic in public. But then the smile started to fade. And something began to haunt him, to torment him; she saw it in his eyes.

When he ended the relationship, because of her insistent pushing to know what was wrong with him, she realized in hindsight now, it turned out _not_ to be the worst thing that could have ever happened to her. If he hadn't, if he had pretended to still want her and spend years denying the truth, she wouldn't have the life she had with a man she loved—a man who had always been there but she never noticed.

As he deteriorated from the inside out, she took control of everything: her life, the company, her heart. Still, as his friend it hurt her to watch him sink further and further into the pits of what she eventually figured out was heartbreak.

She was shocked at first, of course. Who wouldn't be? She was shocked because he actually fell in love. That it was with another man meant nothing to her. She knew of his past.

If she had gone to him, tried to talk to him about it, he probably would've been proud that she figured it out on her own. Well, with a tiny bit of help from Google.

Her curiosity was piqued when, after months had passed, she still had to physically pull him from the bed every morning, and discovered him sleeping with a book in his arms. At first she simply brushed it off. He was a scientist, a scholar, a genius; it wasn't that far-fetched of an idea for him to fall asleep reading a book. It was more far-fetched that he _slept_. But one morning, as he dragged himself into the shower and she went about making the bed, she found the book among the sheets, opened to the middle of it. The first thing that struck her was how beautiful the penmanship was—and that it was hand-written. How many books were hand-written?

She had gasped loudly as her cornflower blue eyes skimmed the text, but shoved it closed and set it aside as he had called out for her from the bathroom. Over time, she did her best to sneak more peeks into what was clearly a journal. Her questions—why did he have this? What led to this circumstance? What the actual fuck happened?!—were all answered in the last brief paragraph. She had looked up the stories on the Internet, to understand why he wrote it, and in her search found a photo of a piece of armor that looked alarmingly similar to the design on the spine of the journal.

It had all come together now. She knew what was wrong with him, but still she did nothing. She knew him too well; he would lash out at her, for invading his privacy, for butting in—for embarrassing him, though he would never admit that. And she sat by as his grief continued to overwhelm him and, inevitably, consume him.

It was she who found him that morning. It was a beautiful summer day, warm but not overbearingly so, and the city was just coming back to life after an exciting 4th of July weekend—a holiday that he didn't seem to enjoy that year. A year after everything had happened. He had shut himself away since before she left to celebrate with Happy, Natasha, Clint, and Steve and a new friend of his. It was the first day back and she felt refreshed and invigorated; she was high on being in love again.

But it all came crashing down when she stepped foot in that bedroom. The air was stale, like no one had cracked a window in months. The lump in the bed hadn't moved, even as she cheerily talked, crossing the room, and getting his clothes ready, like she always did now that he seemed incapable of doing it himself.

She screamed when she shook him and his body stiffly rolled onto its back. His eyes were closed, his lips slightly parted, as if in the middle of speaking. But his skin had gone gray; dark purple circles had formed around his eyes, and bracketed his nose and mouth like two pairs of morbid parenthesis. And one arm was stretched out, reaching she thought, for his phone, and clutched the journal with his other.

She had called for Jarvis but he didn't respond, so she used her to call for security. There was no use trying any life-saving maneuvers. She could tell he had been gone for at least a day or two. And he had disabled Jarvis before he slipped into unconsciousness, they discovered, effectively taking the A.I. with him.

They checked the footage to get an idea of what happened, and she knew most of those uniformed men probably thought they had just hit the jackpot and were about to watch a video feed of debauchery and hedonism reminiscent of Rome's heyday. But they didn't. All they saw was a sad, broken man in his last moments before the feed gave out.

Because he had no heirs, the company, his estate, everything that belonged to him, was left to her. People were surprised but she wasn't; he never changed his will from when they were together.

Eventually, everyone moved on. Wings of hospitals, parks, and even some science buildings on college campuses across the nation were named in his honor. And she attended every dedication; in time, with her husband, Happy, by her side.

The papers and the blogs said it was his drinking habit that killed him, even speculating that after New York, his habit worsened and he graduated to something stronger, something deadlier.

But Pepper Potts-Hogan knew the truth. Anthony Edward Stark died of a broken heart.

She had watched the video repeatedly for weeks afterward. Something about the way she had found him that dreadful morning made her curious. No one else saw it because no one else knew what to look for.

In those last seconds of his life, Tony was happy again. She saw the faint smile on his lips. He had been doing what he always did; he was reading through Loki's journal. And crying. It was difficult to see, but she knew he was. And in those brief moments before the feed cut, as he breathed in his last few breaths, Tony had reached out, and just barely audible, he spoke his last word: "_Loki_."


End file.
